The effects of Versa Gripps® during pull-ups on surface electromyography in strength trained males

Abstract

Aim. This study compared surface electromyographic (sEMG) signal amplitude during pull-ups with Versa Gripps® to those without grips on the dominant side wrist flexors (WF), wrist extensors (WE), latissimus dorsi (LAT), and infraspinatus (INF) muscles among strength-trained males.
Material and Method. Thirty healthy males volunteered to participate in the study. All subjects reviewed, completed, and signed an informed consent form approved by Institutional Review Committees. Surface EMG was computed using the root-mean-square (RMS) of the EMG signal, integrated over 500 milliseconds, and normalized to the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) for the muscles being investigated. EMG data from the four muscles were analyzed using paired two tailed t-tests for each individual muscle for Grip to No Grip conditions.
Results. The comparisons revealed that the WE and WF sEMG were significantly less with the Versa Gripps® compared to No Grip. There were no significant differences between the Grip and No Grip conditions for the LAT and INF.
Conclusion. These results suggest that the effort required by the WE and WF can be reduced with the use of Versa Gripps® in strength-trained males while performing a pull-up without inhibiting the recruitment of the LAT and/or the INF. This finding could be beneficial for strength-trained males suffering or recovering from lateral or medial epincondylitis because the decreased activation of the WE muscles during the pull-up exercise may help unload of the WE and WF which may aid in their recovery.

Key words:

epicondylitis, latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, wrist straps

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