Trapezius Pars Ascendens (right) — SENIAM EMG Electrode Placement

Recording notes & source

per Criswell 2011, site „Lower Interscapular (Lower Trapezius)“, p. 293

Placement type: Quasi-specific site Neighbouring muscles contribute noticeably to the signal — allow for crosstalk.
Signal check: Abduct the arms; retract the shoulder back and down at 45°.
Crosstalk from: middle trapezius · rhomboids · erector spinae
Artefacts: ECG and breathing.

The position above follows SENIAM; the crosstalk and artefact notes apply to surface recording of this muscle in general.

Print as a session sheet · A4 with landmarks, signal check and MVC test

Source: SENIAM (Hermens 2000) ↗

Hermens HJ, Freriks B, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rau G. Development of recommendations for SEMG sensors and sensor placement procedures. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2000;10(5):361-74.

Based on SENIAM recommendations (Hermens et al. 2000). Not an official SENIAM product. See all references → · SENIAM reference table · How electrodes are placed (guide) · Glossary

Go deeper Which Muscles Cannot Be Measured With Surface EMG — and Why → Specific, Quasi-Specific, General — The Three Types of Surface EMG Placement →

All 49 muscle protocols as a PDF — free

Print-ready for the lab or clinic: 77 pages of protocols (SENIAM + peer-reviewed), plus the SENIAM table, a placement checklist and a sensor comparison sheet as A4 sheets.

Anatomy & Function

The M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens (Lower Trapezius) is a muscle of the shoulder region. It is responsible for depression and upward rotation of scapula, retraction. This muscle is one of 26 with official SENIAM-recommended surface EMG electrode placement. This page documents the exact electrode position, anatomical attachments and a standardized test movement based on Hermens et al. (2000).

Function Depression and upward rotation of scapula, retraction Origin Proc. spinosi Th5–Th12 Insertion Spine of scapula (medial third) Innervation Spinal accessory nerve (spinal portion) with twigs from C3–C4

Innervation after Perotto AO, Anatomical Guide for the Electromyographer, 5th ed. 2011 — an anatomical reference, not an electrode placement recommendation.

Clinical applications (SENIAM)

Rotator cuff rehabilitation
Impingement syndrome biofeedback
Pre-/post-surgical shoulder assessment

Test Movement

Raise arm overhead, scapula depresses downward-medially

Detail: group test, sensor on the reference muscle of the group (M. Latissimus Dorsi) — Group test — image shows the reference muscle of the group (M. Latissimus Dorsi). Illustration shows the left side; the set-up is mirrored for the right side.

MVC reference test (Konrad 2005)

Position: Simulated pull-up: elbows at about 90° flexion, check a frontal and a lateral arm position.
Fixation: Fixed bar or machine; trunk stabilised.
Resistance: Pulling against the fixed bar.
Control exercise: The same set-up may also produce maxima for the biceps and the lower trapezius.

The pull-up simulation produces the highest latissimus innervation; the lower trapezius and teres major share the set-up.

Konrad P. The ABC of EMG. Noraxon; 2005, p. 31. Konrad describes this test at group level; it applies to all muscles of the group. · Why and how to normalise to MVC

Measure M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens activity live

The electrode is placed — what next? easyEMG visualises muscle activity in real time, with SENIAM-compliant placement guidance, up to 4 channels at once and biofeedback training right afterwards.

In rehabilitation, the Lower Trapezius is typically recorded to track progress and retrain activation.

EMG biofeedback in physiotherapy → What is EMG biofeedback? PicoBlue sensors

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I place the EMG electrode on the M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens?

2/3 on line from trigonum spinae to T8. Orientation: Along the line T8–acromion. Based on the official SENIAM recommendations (Hermens et al. 2000).

Which test movement activates the M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens?

Raise arm overhead, scapula depresses downward-medially. This movement is part of the SENIAM protocol for standardized contraction verification.

Is the M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens a SENIAM-recommended muscle?

Yes. The M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens is one of 26 muscles for which the SENIAM project has published official surface EMG electrode placement recommendations.

M. Trapezius Pars Ascendens

Electrode Placement (SENIAM)