The present study quantifies electromyographic variables in one and two degree of freedom elbow movements involving flexion/extension and pronation/supination, in order to understand the associated central commands. Agonist burst magnitude varied with motion in a second degree of freedom for some muscles but not for others. In movements for which a biarticular muscle acted as agonist in two degrees of freedom, agonist burst magnitudes were approximately the sum of the magnitudes in the component movements. Agonist burst magnitude varied with motion in a second degree of freedom for some, but not all, monoarticular muscles. When biarticular muscles acted as agonist in one degree of freedom and antagonist in the other, the muscle often displayed both components simultaneously. The additivity of EMG burst magnitudes in two degree of freedom movements and the presence of both agonist and antagonist bursts in a muscle suggest that central commands associated with motion in individual degrees of freedom are superimposed in producing two degree of freedom movements.

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The ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is the primary restraint against valgus forces at the elbow. This structure cannot support the entire load placed upon the medial elbow during overhand throwing motions such as pitching a baseball. In this study we measured the contributions that different muscle groups make to the stability of the medial elbow, under conditions intended to reproduce the loads during pitching by varying the forearm position and loading conditions. We also evaluated the strength of the elbow musculature for the possibility of a training effect in the dominant arm of 11 male high school baseball pitchers. We collected surface EMG data in the two forearm positions to determine if the different positions used in various pitches have an effect on muscular action. We also tested an isometric and dissipative loading condition to determine if the muscles activity was load reactive. The four muscle groups tested were the flexor-pronator group (FP), the extensor-supinator group (ES), the tricep brachii (TB), and the pectoralis major (PM). We found significantly (p-value=0.001) higher peak activity levels of the flexor-pronator group in the neutral forearm position (79.4% MVIC �� 27.0% MVIC full trial peak, 30.8% MVIC �� 20.8% MVIC initial l50ms peak following activation) when compared to the supinated position (55.5% MVIC �� 29.6% MVIC full trial peak, 16.9% MVIC �� 14.8% MVIC initial l50ms peak following activation), which may explain the link between breaking pitches and medial elbow injury. We found an increase (p-value=0.001) in force output of the dominant arm (49.3 N/kg �� 12.5 N/kg) over the non-dominant arm (38.1 N/kg �� 11.0 N/kg). This finding is attributed to a training effect, which assists in protecting the elbow. These findings help provide baseline muscle activity information on protection of the medial soft tissue structures of the elbow. / Graduation date: 2004