EFFECT OF SCAPULAR STABILITY EXERCISES ON SHOOTING PERFORMANCE IN STATE-LEVEL ARCHERS: AN ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC STUDY

T. Palekar¹, S. Dadhich¹

¹Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, India

Background: Archery has historically been used during food hunting and wars between rival countries, and over the years has developed into a powerful sport with domestic and international competition worldwide. Archery competitors must make a large number of shots, and they are required to repeat the same action consistently. It is necessary to analyze the various factors associated with archery skills to improve performance. When performing a precise aiming job, such as archery, shoulder complex muscle activation may be limited. Despite the fact that the shoulder is an essential element of the upper limbs, scapular biomechanics and musculature are typically overlooked when establishing an exercise plan for it.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to find out the effect of scapular stability exercises on the shooting performance of state-level archers.

Methods: Thirty male archers aged 15-30, with a minimum of one year's experience, were divided into experimental and control groups using a purposive sampling method. The experimental group were given conventional and scapular stability exercises for 6 weeks 3 times a week. Electromyographic activity of the deltoid (middle, posterior), trapezius (upper, middle, lower) muscles, rhomboid, anterior serratus, and latissimus dorsi, during shooting performance along with archery test scores, were measured pre and post-6 weeks. Other outcomes were shooting performance, emotional intelligence questionnaire and sports anxiety scale.

Results: The results obtained, showed a significant improvement (P < 0.05) in the activity of all the muscles between pre and post-value in the experimental group. Between-group analysis has shown better improvement in the experimental group compared to the control group. Maximal Voluntary Activations (MVA) shows muscle activity and Motor unit potentials (MUP) which shows firing motor units increment of both for middle trapezius, lower trapezius latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior shows in both arm draw and bow arm. It is observed that for the Draw arm MUP values of middle trapezius (74.8±180.33), lower trapezius (68.68±76.53), serratus anterior (47.01±145.64), latissimus dorsi (81.03±115.47) and MVA values of middle trapezius (47.20 ±11.45), lower trapezius (7.46 ±85.01) of experiment group shows an increment in muscular activity and motor unit firing of muscles during archery activity. For the bow arm MVA values of the lower trapezius (11.6 ±8.25) and latissimus dorsi (12.26 ±4.78) shows increased muscular activity.

Conclusions: The training focused on Scapular stability can improve the shooting performance of state-level archers.

Implications: Training of archers should include an exercise program that focuses on the improvement of scapular muscles strength along with other muscles so that scapula stabilizes and helps to achieve proper muscular activation during archery tasks in order to improve shooting performance.

Funding acknowledgements: No funding was taken for the study

Keywords:
Electromyography
Archery
Scapula Stability

Topics:
Musculoskeletal: upper limb
Sport & sports injuries
Musculoskeletal

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Physiotherapy, Pune

Committee: Institutional Ethics Committee

Ethics number: DYPCPT/574-B(32)/2021