Review Paper: Activation of Shoulder Girdle Muscles during Gripping Task: a Systematic Review of Literature

Purpose: Muscle activation of the proximal parts is necessary for distal activities. In fact, proximal muscles provide stabilized and controlled base for distal parts activities. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine whether hand grip task can alert the activation of shoulder girdle muscles. Methods: A literature search was done in PubMed, Scopus, Elsevier, Ovid, CINAHL, Science Direct, ProQuest, Thompson, EMBASE and Medline databases for the period of 1970-2012. The keywords in this search were: hang grip, electromyography, and shoulder muscles. Results: Using these keywords, 50 papers were found of which 17 papers met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Electromyography technique was used in most papers. The result of most studies showed that high static hand grip force increases the activity of some shoulder muscles, particularly the stabilizer muscles (rotator cuff). Conclusion: The results indicated that hand grip tasks can alert the activation of shoulder girdle muscles.