Electromyography activation of shoulder and trunk muscles is greater during closed chain compared to open chain exercises.

Background: To compare the activation of shoulder and trunk muscles between six pairs of closed (CC) and open chain (OC) exercises for the upper extremity, matched for performance characteristics. The secondary aims were to compare shoulder and trunk muscle activation and shoulder activation ratios during each pair of CC and OC exercise.

Methods: Twenty-two healthy young adults were recruited.