Effects of Finger Taping on Forearm Muscle Activation in Rock Climbers

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Spring 2019

Keywords

Finger taping, Rock climbers, Flexor tendon pulley injury

Abstract

Flexor tendon pulley injury is associated with a change in relative activation of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) muscles. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of taping of the fingers on relative muscle activation of the FDS and FDP muscles in uninjured rock climbers. Muscle activation in 10 healthy volunteers were recorded using intramuscular electromyography (EMG) during a static hang with subjects utilizing the crimp grip without tape, with a circumferential tape and with an H-tape in random order. EMG data were normalized to a static hang with a non-crimp grip (RVC). Average EMG activity of the FDS as a percentage of RVC was 102.4 ± 59.1 without tape, 116.9 ± 35.3 with H-tape and 99.3 ± 35.3 with circumferential tape. Average EMG activity of the FDP as a percentage of RVC was 96.6 ± 40.0 without tape, 98.9 ± 30.3 with H-tape and 90.6 ± 28.7 with circumferential tape. Taping did not have a significant effect on average relative muscle activation of the FDS or FDP muscles (p = 0.069). This study showed that finger taping may not significantly affect the activity of the FDS and FDP during static holds while rock climbing.

Department

Health and Human Development

Publication Title

Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology

Volume

45

First Page

11

Last Page

17

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2019.01.004

Required Publisher's Statement

This Honors project was published in the Elsevier journal, The Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2019.01.004

The publisher allows a link out to the article but does not allow the publishing of their formatted article.

Comments

Brynne Dykes graduated from WWU in June 2017. Julianna Johnson is currently earning her M.S. degree in Kinesiology at WWU.

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Flexor tendons--Wounds and injuries; Forearm--Muscles; Mountaineers; Electromyography

Genre/Form

student projects; term papers

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Link to Full Text

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