The aim of this study was to review the current evidence of the abductor pollicis longus electromyographic activity during thumb movements. The author performed an electronic thorough search for EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Knowledge articles. Nine pieces in particular were found to explore the electromyographic activity of the abductor pollicis longus during thumb functional and non-functional movements. Consistent results were noticed, all emphasizing the key role of abductor pollicis longus in stabilizing the thumb's carpometacarpal joint. All target studies provided useful information about the abductor pollicis longus electromyographic activity. However, none of them examined the relationship between abductor pollicis longus electrical activity and thumb functional movements during functional hand use. Besides, these studies did not provide a firm conclusion as to the nature of the activity of the abductor pollicis longus during pinch and power grip strength, and the findings were somehow contradictory. Further studies are highly recommended to give an insight into the abductor pollicis longus electromyographic activity during thumb functional use. The gender differences of abductor pollicis longus electromyographic activity associated with kinematic motion analyses would be a core issue in future research.
Thumb, abductor pollicis longus, electromyography.
