Subacromial Impingment Syndrome does not alter muscle onset activation patterns during shoulder cardinal movement at different speed and load

Abstract

This study examines neuromuscular firing patterns in healthy and subjects diagnosed with SIS of the periscapular, prime-moving, and rotator cuff muscles during "clinical" cardinal plane physiological movements at different speeds and loads. EMG recordings were taken in 34 healthy and 34 subjects diagnosed with Subacromial Impingement Syndrome (SIS) of the prime movers, periscapular, and rotator cuff muscles during flexion, scaption, and abduction performed at fast, medium, and slow speeds with a loaded (3 kg) and unloaded arm. Differences in firing patterns between groups were analyzed by fitting mixed linear models with random intercepts per subject, and fixed factors for group, muscle, movement type, speed, and load. No difference in timing of activation was seen between the healthy and SIS. Onset timing of prime movers, periscapular, and rotator cuff muscles were prior to movement in all scenarios studied, with rotator cuff muscles firing last. Speed and load appear to independently vary muscle activation timing in a non-intuitive manner in both healthy and SIS. The lack of different firing neuromuscular patterns in subjects diagnosed with SIS and healthy subjects raises the need to consider individual assessment of motor patterns rather than generalized patterns.