Analysis of Muscle Activation Patterns during Mīl Swinging, Kabadeh Pulling, and Sang Holding in Traditional Zurkhaneh Sports Using Electromyography and Motion Modeling in Elite Athletes: A Case Study

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors
Neda Boroushak 1
Rasoul Abedi 2
Mohammad Amin Mohammadian 3
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Biomechanics, Sport Sciences Research Institute, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering Biomechanics, School of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences and Technology in Sport, School of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.48305/jrrs.2026.46279.1142
Abstract
Introduction: Despite its high cultural value, Zurkhaneh sport is associated with a significant prevalence of upper extremity injuries. The lack of a reference pattern of muscle activity in elite athletes and the failure to utilize modern methods such as movement modeling represent a major research gap. This study aimed to analyze the muscle activity pattern in Mil-Zadan, Kabadeh-Keshi, and Sang-Gereftan movements using surface electromyography and biomechanical modeling to provide a reference pattern for rehabilitation and injury prevention.
Materials and Methods: In this analytical-descriptive study, two elite Zurkhaneh athletes (mean weight 52 kg, height 166 cm) were evaluated. Electromyographic activity of six muscles (biceps, triceps, latissimus dorsi, middle deltoid, upper trapezius, and pectoralis major) was recorded during maximal voluntary contraction and while performing the movements. Kinematic data were collected using a 10-camera motion analysis system (200 Hz) and link-segment modeling in Mokka software. EMG data were normalized to MVC and reported as a percentage of maximal activity (RMS).
Results: In Mil-Zadan, the biceps were activated before movement, and the triceps played an eccentric role in the overhead phase. In Kabadeh-Keshi, the middle deltoid showed the highest activity, followed by the latissimus dorsi and triceps. In Sang-Gereftan, the middle deltoid and triceps had the highest activity in controlling the weight of the stone. In all three movements, the biceps and triceps played a protective-control eccentric role.
Conclusion: The phased patterns of concentric and eccentric contractions in elite athletes showed that the elbow muscles play a key role in the eccentric control of torques. These findings can be used as a reference pattern for designing rehabilitation programs, eccentric strengthening, and preventing shoulder and elbow joint injuries in Zurkhaneh sport.

Keywords

Subjects

1.     Kinsella R, Pizzari T. Shoulder muscle activation during rehabilitation exercises in subjects with and without subacromial pain syndrome: a systematic review. Shoulder Elbow. 2017; 9(2): 112-26.
2.     Challoumas D, Stavrou A, Dimitrakakis G. Biomechanical adaptations and injury associations in overhead athletes: a systematic review. Sports Biomech. 2017; 16(2): 220-37.
3.     Gurney AB, Mermier CM, LaPlante M, Majumdar A, O’Neill K, Shewman T, et al. Shoulder electromyography measurements during activities of daily living and routine rehabilitation exercises. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016; 46(5): 375-83.
4.     Bagordo A, Ciletti K, Kemp-Smith K, Simas V, Climstein M, Furness J. Isokinetic dynamometry as a tool to predict shoulder injury in overhead athletes: a systematic review. Sports (Basel). 2020; 8(9): 124-38.
5.     Spall P, Ribeiro DC, Sole G. Electromyographic activity of shoulder girdle muscles in patients with rotator cuff tears: systematic review and meta-analysis. PM R. 2016; 8(9): 894-906.
6.     Kinsella R, Pizzari T, Morris HG. Scapular dyskinesis and muscle activation deficits in overhead athletes. Shoulder Elbow. 2018; 10(1): 40-52.
7.     Challoumas D, Dimitrakakis G. Shoulder biomechanics and injury mechanisms in overhead sports: systematic review. Sports Biomech. 2018; 17(3): 276-95.
8.     Ludewig PM, Braman JP. Shoulder impingement: biomechanical considerations in rehabilitation. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017; 47(3): 106-15.
9.     Jafarnezhadgero A, Madadi-Shad M, Majlesi M. Comparison of shoulder muscle activation during traditional Zurkhaneh stone movement and bench press exercise. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2019; 23(4): 857-63.
10.  Hermens HJ, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rau G. Development of recommendations for SEMG sensors and placement procedures. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2016; 26: 361-74.
11.  Bagordo A, Furness J, Climstein M. Shoulder muscle imbalance and injury prediction in overhead athletes. Sports (Basel). 2020; 8(9): 124-36.
12.  Chua MX, Okubo Y, Peng S, Do TN, Wang CH, Wu L. Analysis of fatigue-induced compensatory movement using wearable EMG sensors. Sensors (Basel). 2024; 24(3): 1142-38.
13.  Bishop D. Warm-up optimization for elite athletic performance. Sports Med. 2018; 48(4):821-38.
14.  De Luca CJ, Nawab SH, Roy SH. Surface electromyography signal processing and applications. J Neurophysiol. 2019; 122(1): 151-62.
15.  Hermens HJ, Freriks B, Merletti R, Stegeman D, Blok J, Rau G, et al. European recommendations for surface electromyography. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2016; 116(2): 213-22.
16.  Besomi M, Hodges PW, Clancy EA, Van Dieën J, Carson RG, Merletti R, et al. Consensus for experimental design in surface electromyography. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2019; 48: 1–12.
17.  Kanko RM, Laende EK, Davis EM, Selbie WS, Deluzio KJ. Concurrent assessment of gait kinematics using motion capture. Gait Posture. 2021; 87: 31-8.
18.  Seth A, Hicks JL, Uchida TK, Habib A, Dembia CL, Dunne JJ, et al. OpenSim: Simulating musculoskeletal dynamics and neuromuscular control. PLoS Comput Biol. 2018; 14(7): e1006223.
19.  Robertson DGE, Caldwell GE, Hamill J, Kamen G, Whittlesey SN. Research methods in biomechanics. 3rd ed. Champaign: Human Kinetics; 2018. p. 211-45.
20.  Hicks JL, Uchida TK, Seth A, Rajagopal A, Delp SL. Is my model good enough? Best practices for biomechanical modeling and simulation. J Biomech. 2021; 116: 110186-98.