Exercise Equipment Development for Safe Activation of the Medial Deltoid

Abstract

The medial deltoid muscle is a small – and often neglected – muscle in comparison to other muscular systems in the immediately surrounding area of the upper body. If there is low or improper focus on the medial deltoid, there is a high risk of muscle imbalances and dysfunctions. Limited equipment exists today for proper training of the medial deltoid muscle; meaning there exists an opportunity to develop equipment which can safely and intuitively activate the medial deltoid muscle. To ensure maximization of the medial deltoid without increasing the activation of the surrounding muscles, the activation measurements of the anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid, and upper trapezius were also verified throughout the experiments with the seven exercises tested. This paper presents the pitfalls of current solutions, research of various studies and experiments, and confirms the activation levels and risks associated with various movement patterns.