EMG and Different Forms of Fatigue

The new interpretations of old data are presented. The hypothesis is based on the relationship between the novel interpretations of EMG signal of quadriceps and the decreased shock attenuation (sacrum/shank ratio) during prolonged downhill running (10/26/2004 6:44 PM).

Fatigue in a muscle takes place as a result of an intensive activity of this muscle and is reflected by certain changes in its electromyogram (EMG) signal in either the time or frequency domains (Edwards 1981). For time domain analysis of EMG signal was usually used integrated EMG (iEMG). For frequency domain analysis of EMG signal was usually used mean power frequency (MPF) of EMG. The increase in iEMG might reflect greater total muscle fiber recruitment for a fixed submaximal external force and is defined as fibers fatigue (Edwards 1981, Newham DJ et al 1983). This may be due to one or more of several factors including impaired excitation-contraction coupling, increased firing rate, and/or synchronization of motor unit recruitment (Edwards 1981). While change in MPF of EMG may reflect decreases in muscle fiber conduction velocity (Lindstrom L et al 1970; Eberstein A et al 1985; Sadoyama T, et al 1983), synchronization of the motor units, which has been shown to occur during fatigue causing a shift of MPF towards lower frequencies (Bigland-Ritchie B et al 1981); a reflex slowing of recruitment in metabolite accumulation (Bigland-Ritchie B et al 1986) To explain the relationship between differences form of fatigue and EMG signal in both time and frequency domain it is necessary to standardize the physiological condition. Thus, the quadriceps muscles group EMG signal was only observed due to specific relationship between muscle morphology and EMG parameters during fatigued load (Wretling et al 1997). According to Edwardss (1981) definition: fatigue is associated with both increased iEMG and decreased MPF of EMG. The fatigue 1

definition always is right when the isometric muscle contraction protocol at a given performance is used. It was noted that the relationship between EMG power frequency and fatigue development, as observed in isometric protocols, cannot be simply applied in dynamic exercise (Jansen et al 1997). For example, in bicycle concentric load, with average endurance time was equal 69.3 seconds, where load corresponded to 125% of the subjects' maximal O2 consumption in vastus lateralis the total EMG power is continually increased, while MPF is continually decreased (Bouissou et al 1989). Perrey et al (2001) used both concentric and eccentric bicycle ergometer exercises with load equal 70% of the difference between the subject's ventilatory threshold (VT) and peak O2 consumption. Endurance time of exercise was 6 min. They reported that in concentric exercise iEMG increased significantly at 6 min both in vastus medialis approximately on 1.12 times and rectus femoris approximately on 1.30 times. In parallel, there is no change in iEMG during eccentric load. While there were no changes in MPF as a function of time for any muscle during any of the exercise loads. There are, at least, two experimental works in which quadriceps (local) fatigue development was induced by prolonged sub-maximal downhill running and it was detected by increased significantly iEMG (Dick and Cavanagh 1987, Mizrahi et. al. 2001) and increased significantly MPF of EMG (Mizrahi et al 2001).Recently, it has been reported that a higher median frequency during eccentric contractions can be explained by selective recruitment of fast-twitch motor units. (McHugh et al 2000). Therefore, quadriceps local fatigue is associated with the difference in EMG changes. In the first variant there is combination from two definition of muscle fatigue: increased EMG activity for given performance and shift of EMG power spectrum to

low frequencies (Edwards 1981). It is suggested that this case takes place due to short time, high intensity human performance. In the second variant takes place only single definition of muscle fatigue for only concentric load: shift of EMG power spectrum to low frequencies without not change in iEMG activity for given performance both concentric and eccentric bicycle loads. It suggested that the reduction in change of EMG signal associated with less intensity and more duration of performed load. Unchanged EMG signals both time and frequency domain in eccentric bicycle load, despite that this load associated with exercise-damaged human muscle, can be associated with non-impact acceleration along the musculoskeletal system during load performance. In the third variant takes place only single definition of quadriceps muscle fatigue in the concentric-eccentric load by downhill running at a given running speed: iEMG increases while MPF of EMG unexpectedly increases. It can be reflected that the hampered combination of two factors: 1) eccentric exercise is exercise-damaged human muscle and 2) heel strike induced high-frequency impact acceleration along the musculoskeletal system during downhill running. It was recently found that downhill running at given running speed just exceeding AT during 30 minute induced significant decrease in attenuation between sacrum and tibial tuberosity levels (Mizrahi et al 2000). It was hypnotized that the lack of ability to attenuate shock-wave along human body at heel strike during running can be associated with the eccentric exercise-induced damage of the quadriceps muscle but not with the concentric exercise-induced fatigue.

References

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