The EMG Signal
EMG - Force Relationship
Signal Processing.3
EMG - Force Relationship
An EMG signal will not necessarily reflect
the total amount of force (or torque) a
muscle can generate
The number of motor units recorded by
electrodes will be less than the total number of
motor units that are firing - electrodes cant
pick-up all motor units
EMG - Force Relationship:
Amplitude
If a newly recruited motor unit is close to
the electrode the relative increase in the
EMG signal amplitude will be greater than
the corresponding increase in force
If a motor unit is too far from the electrode
the amplitude will not change but the force
will increase
EMG - Force Relationship:
Amplitude
Motor unit firing rate will increase as force
demand increases
Initially force rises rapidly due to increased
firing rate
EMG amplitude will increase less rapidly
EMG - Force Relationship:
Firing Rate
As force output increases beyond the rate of
newly recruited motor units
Firing rate will increase
Force produced by the motor unit will saturate
EMG - Force Relationship:
Firing Rate
As force output increases beyond the rate of
newly recruited motor units
Firing rate will increase
Force produced by the motor unit will saturate
Total EMG amplitude increases more than
force output (i.e., non-linear)
EMG
Force
Motor Unit Firing Rate
Motor Unit Firing Rate
EMG - Force Relationship:
Isometric vs. Isotonic Contractions
Lippold (1952), Close (1972) & BiglandRitchie (1981) often cited in suggesting
there is a linear relationship between IEMG
and tension.
Zuniga and Simmon (1969) & Vrendenbregt
and Rau (1973) suggested a non-linear
relationship exists
EMG - Force Relationship:
Isometric vs. Isotonic Contractions
EMG - Force Relationship:
Isometric vs. Isotonic Contractions
During isotonic contractions force production
lags EMG
Motor unit twitch (contraction) reaches peak 40 100 msec after motor unit activates
Summation of twitch contractions summates the
delay (Inman et al., 1952; Gottlieb and Agarwal
(1971)
Force
EMG
EMG - Force Relationship:
Isometric vs. Isotonic Contractions
Working Model: Probably a consensus of
opinion that EMG and force are linear
under isometric condition and non-linear
under isotonic conditions (Weir et al., 1992)
EMG - Force Relationship:
Concentric vs. Eccentric Contractions
EMG amplitudes are generally less during
negative (eccentric) work vs. positive
(concentric) work (Komi, 1973; Komi et al.,
1987)
Preloaded tension in tendons (non-contractile
elements) requires less contribution from
muscle (contractile elements)
Less metabolic work required
EMG ~ muscle metabolism
Rectification
Translates the raw EMG signal to a single
polarity (usually positive)
Facilitates signal processing
Calculation of mean
Integration
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
Rectification - Types
Full-wave
Adds the EMG signal
below the baseline
(usually negative
polarity) to the signal
above the baseline
Conditioned signal is all
positive polarity
Preferred method
Conserves all signal
energy for analysis
Rectification - Types
Full-wave
Half-wave
Deletes the EMG
signal below the
baseline
Rectification - Types
Raw EMG
Full-wave
Rectified EMG
Half-wave
Rectified EMG
Delete
Rectification
Full-wave rectification takes the absolute
value of the signal (array of data points)
Rectification
To rectify the signal turn the toggle switch
to the On position
Integration
A method of quantifying the EMG signal
Assigns the signal a numerical value
Permits manipulation
Calculation
Example: Normalization
Statistical analysis
A form of linear envelope procedure
Measures the area under a curve
Integration
Area Under a Curve
Units = mV - msec
Integration - Procedure
EMG signal is
Full-wave rectified
(Usually) lowpass
filtered
5 - 8 (10) Hz
Segment selected
Integral read (mVmsec [or secs])
Normalization
Question: Is it valid to directly compare the
EMG output (e.g., integral) of a muscle
across subjects?
Subjects will have muscles with
different physiological cross-sections
different lengths - geometry
different ratios of slow- to fast-twitch fibers
different recruitment patterns
different firing frequencies
Answer
Probably
not!
Solution
Normalize the measurement value against a
maximal effort value
Divide the sub-maximal effort value (e.g.,
50%, 75%, etc.) by the maximal effort value
The resultant ratio (no units) is the
normalized signal making direct comparison
possible
Isometric or Isotonic Effort?
Intuitively, it seems to make sense that the
normalizing maximal effort should be the
same as the nature of the effort
Isometric - Isometric
Isotonic/Isokinetic - Isotonic/Isokinetic
Isometric or Isotonic Effort?
Intuitively, it seems to make sense that the
normalizing maximal effort should be the
same as the nature of the effort
Isometric - Isometric
Isotonic/Isokinetic - Isotonic/Isokinetic
Because the relationship between the EMG
signal and isotonic/isokinetic contractions
is probably not linear, most sources
recommend normalizing with the isometric
maximal effort value (i.e., during MVC)
Therefore...
Isometric contraction normalized with an
isometric MVC
and
Isotonic/isokinetic contractions normalized
with an isometric MVC
Example
Integral during MVC of VM of
quadriceps = 5.76 mV - msec
Integral of VM at 50% of a sub-maximal
effort = 2.13 mV - msec
Ratio:
2.13 mV - msec
5.76 mV - msec
.37
Reference Sources
Bigland-Richie, B. (1981). EMG/force relations and
fatigue of human volunatry contractions. In D.I.
Miller (Ed.), Exercise and sport sciences reviews
(Vol.9, pp.75-117), Philadelphia: Franklin Institute.
Close, R.I. (1972). Dynamic properties of
mammalian skeletal muscles. Physiological
Review,52, 129-197.
Reference Sources
Gottlieb, G.L., & G.C. Agarwal, G.C. (1971).
Dynamic relatiosnhip between isometric muscle
tension and the electromyogram in man. Journal of
Applied Physiology, 30, 345-351.
Inman, V.T., Ralston, J.B. Saunders, J.B., Fienstein,
B, & Wright, E.W. (1952). Relation of human
electromyogram to muscular tension. Medicine,
Biology and Engineering, 8, 187-194.
Reference Sources
Komi, P.V. (1973). Relationship between muscle
tension, EMG, and velocity of contraction under
concentric and eccentric work. In J.E. Desmedt,
New developments in electromyography and
clinical neurophysiology (pp. 596-606), Basel,
Switzerland: Karger.
Reference Sources
Komi, P.V., Kaneko, M., & Aura, O. (1987). EMG
activity of the leg extensor muscles with special
reference to mechanical efficiency in concentric and
eccentric exercise. International Journal of Sports
Medicine, 8 (suppl), 22-29.
Lippold, O.C.J. (1952). The relationship between
integrated action potentials in a human muscle and its
isometric tension. Journal of Physiology, 177, 492-499.
Reference Sources
Vrendenbregt, J., & Rau, G. (1973). Surface
electromyography in relation to force, muscle
length and endurance. In J.E. Desmedt (Ed.) New
developments in electromyography and clinical
neurophysiology (pp. 607-622), Basel,
Switzerland: Karger.
Reference Sources
Zuniga, E.N., & Simons, D.G. (1969). Non-linear
relationship between averaged electromyogram
potential and muscle tension in normal subjects.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation,
50, 613-620.
Reference Sources
Weir, J.P., McDonough, A.L., & Hill, V. (1996). The
effects of joint angle on electromyographic indices
of fatigue. European Journal of Applied
Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 73,
387-392.
Reference Sources
Weir, J.P, Wagner, L.L., & Housh, T.J. (1992).
Linearity and reliability of the IEMG v. torque
relationship for the forearm flexors and leg
extensors. American Journal of Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation, 71, 283-287.
