EMG Muscle Patterns – For Bowling
- Finger Flexor Muscle Activity (red)
- Finger Extensor Muscle Activity (green)
FIGURE 1a (Finger Extensor vs. Finger Flexor Muscle Activity In Bowling)
FIGURE 1b (Finger Extensor vs. Finger Flexor Muscle Activity In Bowling)
Surface electromyography (sEMG) allows a excellent opportunity to view the cooperative nature of the hand muscles during the bowling preparation and the stroke. Notice in Figures 1a and 1b how both sets of muscle groups (finger flexors (red) and finger extensors (green)) are always very active.
The close-up view in Figure 1b allows a more substantial study of the hand muscle firing patterns in the bowling stroke. Notice the original exertion of the finger extensor muscles (green activity) in lifting the bowling ball from the rack. Next, the bowler turns the ball and supports its weight with the hand underneath the ball, causing a finger flexor muscle spike (red activity). The finger muscle workload in the bowling stroke itself is then defined by the initiation of the stroke (red activity), the backswing (red/green activity), and the delivery (red/green peak). Fatigue, overuse, and repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s) are a common result in bowling.
Notice how active the finger extensor muscles are throughout the entire activity of picking up and delivering the ball. This is because the finger extensor muscles support and stabilize the action of grip (or finger flexion), especially when the grip hand is more spread, as in gripping a bowling ball. Many bowling injuries are the direct result of not preparing these muscles for this significant workload. Traditional thinking has assumed that only the finger flexion (squeezing) muscles are put at stress in bowling. These findings clearly indicate that a shift in thinking is essential. All finger muscles (both closing & opening) are aggressively active.
FIGURE 1b (Finger Extensor vs. Finger Flexor Muscle Activity In Bowling)
Conclusions:
The sEMG muscle patterns clearly illustrate the fundamental loading both to the finger extensor muscles and the finger flexor muscles during bowling. In identifying and proving this fact, the need to maintain strong healthy balanced finger flexor and finger extensor muscles becomes very clear.
The Handmaster Plus offers a one-step portable solution to all of the training needs of the bowler, ensuring balanced finger exercise through full natural 3- dimensional planes of motion. The result is strength, balance, speed and maximum blood flow / lymphatic drainage to the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow.
Further study and experimentation is necessary in order to more completely analyze sEMG finger muscle patterns in bowling. Further opportunities exist in using these patterns in relation to 1) teaching, 2) training and 3) injury prevention in bowling.