Electromyographic activity and muscular and proprioceptive performance in female volleyball players – case-control study

Abstract

Introduction: Considering the widespread practice of volleyball, few published studies evaluate the electromyographic and proprioceptive activity of volleyball players. Objective: To compare the electromyographic activity of the anterior and posterior portions of the deltoid muscle and the muscular and proprioceptive performance in female volleyball players and non-athletic women. Methods: Forty women were included, 20 volleyball players in the Experimental Group and 20 non-athletes in the Control Group. The following variables were collected: joint position sense, motion detection, concentric torque of the medial and lateral rotator muscles at 60º/s and 180º/s and electromyographic activity of the muscles during attack. Results: Control Group showed a higher peak torque of the lateral rotators (p=0.026) at 180°/s and greater muscular activation of the anterior (p=0.028) and posterior (p=0.025) portions of the deltoid muscle. Conclusion: In the present study, the Control Group showed higher muscular differences, considering torque and muscular activation, than the Experimental Group.