EMG Introduction Small electrical currents are generated by muscle fibres prior to the production of muscle force.

These currents are generated by the exchange of ions across muscle fibre membranes, a part of the signaling process for the muscle fibres to contract. The signal called the electromyogram (EMG) can be measured by applying conductive elements or electrodes to the skin surface, or invasively within the muscle. Surface EMG is the more common method of measurement,

Recording the EMG of the quadriceps femoris during normal walking. Measurement of surface EMG is dependent on a number of factors and the amplitude of the surface EMG signal (sEMG) varies from the uV to the low mV range . The amplitude and time and frequency domain properties of the sEMG signal are dependent on factors such as the timing and intensity of muscle contraction,the distance of the electrode from the active muscle area , the properties of the overlying tissue (e.g. thickness of overlying skin and adipose tissue), the electrode and amplifier properties, and the quality of contact between the electrode and the skin

Typical benefits of EMG EMG allows to directly look into the muscle It allows measurement of muscular performance Helps in decision making both before/after surgery Documents treatment and training regimes Helps patients to find and train their muscles Allows analysis to improve sports activities Detects muscle response in ergonomic studies The raw EMG signal An unfiltered (exception: amplifier bandpass) and unprocessed signal detecting the superposed MUAPs is called a raw EMG Signal Raw sEMG can range between +/- 5000 microvolts (athletes!) and typically the frequency contents ranges between 6 and 500 Hz, showing most frequency power between ~ 20 and 150 Hz

The raw EMG recording of 3 contractions bursts of the M. biceps br. EMG - Amplifiers EMG-amplifiers act as differential amplifiers and their main quality item is the ability to reject or eliminate artifacts. The differential

amplification detects the potential differences between the electrodes and cancels external interferences out A/D Resolution Before a signal can be displayed and analyzed in the computer, it has to be converted from an analog voltage to a digital signal (A/D conversion). The resolution of A/D measurement boards have to properly convert the expected amplitude range (e.g. +/- 5 Volts). A 12 bit A/D board can separate the voltage range of the input signal into 4095 intervals

Electrode Selection

Due to their non- invasive character in most cases surface electrodes are used in kinesiological studies. Besides the benefit of easy handling, their main limitation is that only surface muscles can be detected. For deeper muscles (covered by surface muscles or bones) fine-wire or needle electrodes are inevitable Most of the important limb and trunk muscles can be measured by surface . Deeper, smaller or overlaid muscles need a fine wire application to be safely or selectively detected. The muscle maps show a selection of muscles that typically have been investigated in kinesiological studies. The two yellow dots of the surface muscles indicate the orientation of the electrode pair in ratio to the muscle fiber direction (proposals compiled from 1, 4, 10 and SENIAM).

Anatomical positions of selected electrode sites frontal view

Relationship of EMG to physical parameters There is a direct relationship between EMG and many biomechanical variables. With respect to isometric contractions, there is a positive relationship between the increase of tension within the muscle and the

amplitude of the EMG signal recorded. During any contraction

there is a lag time as the EMG amplitude does not directly match the build-up of isometric tension. Because of this, it is difficult to reliably estimate the force production from the recorded EMG signal, as there is questionable validity of the relationship of force to amplitude when many muscles are crossing the same joint, or when muscles cross multiple joints. When looking at muscle activity, with regards to concentric and eccentric contractions, it is common to find that eccentric contractions produce less muscle activity than concentric contraction when working against equal force. As the muscle fatigues, one sees a decreased tension despite constant or even larger amplitude of the muscle activity. There is a loss of the high-frequency component of the signal as it fatigues, which can be seen by a decrease in the median frequency of the muscle signal. Thus, during movement, there tends to be a relationship with EMG and velocity of the movement.

Processed EMG signal of the gastrocnemius for normal walking at low speed There is an inverse relationship of strength production with concentric contractions and the speed of movement, while there is a positive relationship of strength production with eccentric contractions and the speed of movement. One can handle more of a load with eccentric contractions at higher speed. For example: If a weight was very large and you lowered it to the ground in a fast, but controlled manner, you handled a large weight at a high speed via eccentric contractions. You would not be able to raise the weight (concentric contraction) at the same speed you were able to lower it. The forces produced by the fibers are not necessarily any greater, but you were able to handle a larger amount of weight and the EMG activity of the muscles handling that weight would be smaller. Thus, we have an inverse relationship for concentric contractions and positive relationship for eccentric contractions with respect to speed of movement.