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Cohen JW, Vieira TM, Ivanova TD, Garland SJ. Regional recruitment and differential behavior of motor units during postural control in older adults. J Neurophysiol 2023; 130:1321-1333. [PMID: 37877159 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00068.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with neuromuscular system changes that may have implications for the recruitment and firing behaviors of motor units (MUs). In previous studies, we observed that young adults recruit subpopulations of triceps surae MUs during tasks that involved leaning in five directions: common units that were active during different leaning directions and unique units that were active in only one leaning direction. Furthermore, the MU subpopulation firing behaviors [average firing rate (AFR), coefficient of variation (CoVISI), and intermittent firing] modulated with leaning direction. The purpose of this study was to examine whether older adults exhibited this regional recruitment of MUs and firing behaviors. Seventeen older adults (aged 74.8 ± 5.3 yr) stood on a force platform and maintained their center of pressure leaning in five directions. High-density surface electromyography recordings from the triceps surae were decomposed into single MU action potentials. A MU tracking analysis identified groups of MUs as being common or unique across the leaning directions. Although leaning in different directions did not affect the AFR and CoVISI of common units (P > 0.05), the unique units responded to the leaning directions by increasing AFR and CoVISI, albeit modestly (F = 18.51, P < 0.001). The unique units increased their intermittency with forward leaning (F = 9.22, P = 0.003). The mediolateral barycenter positions of MU activity in both subpopulations were found in similar locations for all leaning directions (P > 0.05). These neuromuscular changes may contribute to the reduced balance performance seen in older adults.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we observed differences in motor unit recruitment and firing behaviors of distinct subpopulations of motor units in the older adult triceps surae muscle from those observed in the young adult. Our results suggest that the older adult central nervous system may partially lose the ability to regionally recruit and differentially control motor units. This finding may be an underlying cause of balance difficulties in older adults during directionally challenging leaning tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua W Cohen
- School of Kinesiology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Taian M Vieira
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tanya D Ivanova
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - S Jayne Garland
- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physical Therapy, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
- Collaborative Specialization in Musculoskeletal Health Research, Bone and Joint Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Vieira TM, Cerone GL, Botter A, Watanabe K, Vigotsky AD. The Sensitivity of Bipolar Electromyograms to Muscle Excitation Scales With the Inter-Electrode Distance. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2023; 31:4245-4255. [PMID: 37844006 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2023.3325132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The value of surface electromyograms (EMGs) lies in their potential to non-invasively probe the neuromuscular system. Whether muscle excitation may be accurately inferred from bipolar EMGs depends on how much the detected signal is both sensitive and specific to the excitation of the target muscle. While both are known to be a function of the inter-electrode distance (IED), specificity has been of long concern in the physiological literature. In contrast, sensitivity, at best, has been implicitly assumed. Here we provide evidence that the IED imposes a biophysical constraint on the sensitivity of surface EMG. From 20 healthy subjects, we tested the hypothesis that excessively reducing the IED limits EMGs' physiological content. We detected bipolar EMGs with IEDs varying from 5 mm to 50 mm from two skeletal muscles with distinct architectures, gastrocnemius and biceps brachii. Non-parametric statistics and Bayesian hierarchical modelling were used to evaluate the dependence of the onset of muscle excitation and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the IED. Experimental results revealed that IED critically affects the sensitivity of bipolar EMGs for both muscles-indeliberately reducing the IED yields EMGs that are not representative of the whole muscle, hampering validity. Simulation results substantiate the generalization of experimental results to small and large electrodes. Based on current and previous findings, we discuss a potentially valid procedure for defining the most appropriate IED for a single bipolar, surface recording-i.e., the distance from the electrode to the target muscle boundary may heuristically serve as a lower bound when choosing an IED.
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3
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Clancy EA, Morin EL, Hajian G, Merletti R. Tutorial. Surface electromyogram (sEMG) amplitude estimation: Best practices. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2023; 72:102807. [PMID: 37552918 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2023.102807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This tutorial intends to provide insight, instructions and "best practices" for those who are novices-including clinicians, engineers and non-engineers-in extracting electromyogram (EMG) amplitude from the bipolar surface EMG (sEMG) signal of voluntary contractions. A brief discussion of sEMG amplitude extraction from high density sEMG (HDsEMG) arrays and feature extraction from electrically elicited contractions is also provided. This tutorial attempts to present its main concepts in a straightforward manner that is accessible to novices in the field not possessing a wide range of technical background (if any) in this area. Surface EMG amplitude, also referred to as the sEMG envelope [often implemented as root mean square (RMS) sEMG or average rectified value (ARV) sEMG], quantifies the voltage variation of the sEMG signal and is grossly related to the overall neural excitation of the muscle and to peripheral parameters. The tutorial briefly reviews the physiological origin of the voluntary sEMG signal and sEMG recording, including electrode configurations, sEMG signal transduction, electronic conditioning and conversion by an analog-to-digital converter. These topics have been covered in greater detail in prior tutorials in this series. In depth descriptions of state-of-the-art methods for computing sEMG amplitude are then provided, including guidance on signal pre-conditioning, absolute value vs. square-law detection, selection of appropriate sEMG amplitude smoothing filters and attenuation of measurement noise. The tutorial provides a detailed list of best practices for sEMG amplitude estimation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Evelyn L Morin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Gelareh Hajian
- Toronto Rehab Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Roberto Merletti
- LISiN, Dept. of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy.
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4
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Shirzadi M, Marateb HR, Rojas-Martínez M, Mansourian M, Botter A, Vieira Dos Anjos F, Martins Vieira T, Mañanas MA. A real-time and convex model for the estimation of muscle force from surface electromyographic signals in the upper and lower limbs. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1098225. [PMID: 36923291 PMCID: PMC10009160 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1098225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a signal consisting of different motor unit action potential trains and records from the surface of the muscles. One of the applications of sEMG is the estimation of muscle force. We proposed a new real-time convex and interpretable model for solving the sEMG-force estimation. We validated it on the upper limb during isometric voluntary flexions-extensions at 30%, 50%, and 70% Maximum Voluntary Contraction in five subjects, and lower limbs during standing tasks in thirty-three volunteers, without a history of neuromuscular disorders. Moreover, the performance of the proposed method was statistically compared with that of the state-of-the-art (13 methods, including linear-in-the-parameter models, Artificial Neural Networks and Supported Vector Machines, and non-linear models). The envelope of the sEMG signals was estimated, and the representative envelope of each muscle was used in our analysis. The convex form of an exponential EMG-force model was derived, and each muscle's coefficient was estimated using the Least Square method. The goodness-of-fit indices, the residual signal analysis (bias and Bland-Altman plot), and the running time analysis were provided. For the entire model, 30% of the data was used for estimation, while the remaining 20% and 50% were used for validation and testing, respectively. The average R-square (%) of the proposed method was 96.77 ± 1.67 [94.38, 98.06] for the test sets of the upper limb and 91.08 ± 6.84 [62.22, 96.62] for the lower-limb dataset (MEAN ± SD [min, max]). The proposed method was not significantly different from the recorded force signal (p-value = 0.610); that was not the case for the other tested models. The proposed method significantly outperformed the other methods (adj. p-value < 0.05). The average running time of each 250 ms signal of the training and testing of the proposed method was 25.7 ± 4.0 [22.3, 40.8] and 11.0 ± 2.9 [4.7, 17.8] in microseconds for the entire dataset. The proposed convex model is thus a promising method for estimating the force from the joints of the upper and lower limbs, with applications in load sharing, robotics, rehabilitation, and prosthesis control for the upper and lower limbs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Shirzadi
- Automatic Control Department (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hamid Reza Marateb
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Engineering Faculty, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mónica Rojas-Martínez
- Automatic Control Department (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marjan Mansourian
- Automatic Control Department (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Botter
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN), Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Fabio Vieira Dos Anjos
- Postgraduate Program of Rehabilitation Sciences, Augusto Motta University (UNISUAM), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Taian Martins Vieira
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN), Department of Electronics and Telecommunication, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Miguel Angel Mañanas
- Automatic Control Department (ESAII), Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech (UPC), Barcelona, Spain.,Biomedical Research Networking Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials, and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
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5
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Pesola AJ, Gao Y, Finni T. Responsiveness of electromyographically assessed skeletal muscle inactivity: methodological exploration and implications for health benefits. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20867. [PMID: 36460701 PMCID: PMC9718848 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25128-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolonged sedentary behaviour is detrimental to health due to low contractile activity in large lower extremity muscle groups. This muscle inactivity can be measured with electromyography (EMG), but it is unknown how methodological factors affect responsiveness longitudinally. This study ranks 16 different EMG inactivity thresholds based on their responsiveness (absolute and standardized effect size, responsiveness) using data from a randomized controlled trial targeted at reducing and breaking up sedentary time (InPact, ISRCTN28668090). EMG inactivity duration and usual EMG inactivity bout duration (weighted median of bout lengths) were measured from large lower extremity muscle groups (quadriceps, hamstring) with EMG-sensing shorts. The results showed that the EMG inactivity threshold above signal baseline (3 μV) provided overall the best responsiveness indices. At baseline, EMG inactivity duration of 66.8 ± 9.6% was accumulated through 73.9 ± 36.0 s usual EMG inactivity bout duration, both of which were reduced following the intervention (-4.8 percentage points, -34.3 s). The proposed methodology can reduce variability in longitudinal designs and the detailed results can be used for sample size calculations. Reducing EMG inactivity duration and accumulating EMG inactivity in shorter bouts has a potential influence on muscle physiology and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. J. Pesola
- grid.479679.20000 0004 5948 8864Active Life Lab, South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences, Raviradantie 22b, 50100 Mikkeli, Finland
| | - Y. Gao
- grid.13402.340000 0004 1759 700XDepartment of Sports Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - T. Finni
- grid.9681.60000 0001 1013 7965Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Neuromuscular Research Center, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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6
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Is the attenuation effect on the ankle muscles activity from the EMG biofeedback generalized to - or compensated by - other lower limb muscles during standing? J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2022; 67:102721. [PMID: 36427373 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2022.102721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biofeedback based on electromyograms (EMGs) has been recently proposed to reduce exaggerated postural activity. Whether the effect of EMG biofeedback on the targeted muscles generalizes to - or is compensated by - other muscles is still an open question we address here. Fourteen young individuals were tested in three 60 s standing trials, without and with EMG-audio feedback: (i) collectively from soleus and medial gastrocnemius and (ii) from medial gastrocnemii. The Root Mean Square (RMS) of bipolar EMGs sampled from postural muscles bilaterally was computed to assess the degree of activity and postural sway was assessed from the center of pressure (CoP). In relation to standing at naturally, EMG-audio feedback from soleus and medial gastrocnemii decreased plantar flexors' activity (∼10 %) but at the cost of increased amplitude of tibialis anterior (∼5%) and vasti muscles (∼20 %) accompanied by a posterior shift of the mean CoP position. However, EMG-audio feedback from medial gastrocnemii reduced only plantar flexors' activity (∼5%) when compared to standing at naturally. Current results suggest the EMG biofeedback has the potential to reduce calf muscles' activity without loading other postural muscles especially when using medial gastrocnemii as feedback source, with implications on postural training aimed at assisting individuals in activating more efficiently postural muscles during standing.
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7
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Wang L, Song X, Yang H, Wang C, Shao Q, Tao H, Qiao M, Niu W, Liu X. Are the antagonist muscle fatigued during a prolonged isometric fatiguing elbow flexion at very low forces for young adults? Front Physiol 2022; 13:956639. [PMID: 36277214 PMCID: PMC9585301 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.956639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine whether antagonist muscles may be fatigued during a prolonged isometric fatiguing elbow flexion at very low forces. Twelve healthy male subjects sustained an isometric elbow flexion at 10% maximal voluntary contraction torque until exhaustion while multichannel electromyographic signals were collected from the biceps brachii (BB) and triceps brachii (TB). Muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) and fractal dimension (FD) of both muscles were calculated to reflect peripheral and central fatigue. CV and FD of TB as well as FD of BB decreased progressively during the sustained fatiguing contraction, while the CV of BB declined at the beginning of the contraction and then increased progressively until the end of the contraction. The result may indicate that during the sustained low-force isometric fatiguing contraction, antagonist muscle may be peripherally fatigued, and changes in coactivation activities were modulated not only by central neuronal mechanisms of common drive but also by peripheral metabolic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lejun Wang
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Lejun Wang, ; Xiaodong Liu,
| | - Xiaoqian Song
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Yang
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ce Wang
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qineng Shao
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haifeng Tao
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Minjie Qiao
- Sport and Health Research Center, Physical Education Department, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenxin Niu
- School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaodong Liu
- School of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
- *Correspondence: Lejun Wang, ; Xiaodong Liu,
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8
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Watanabe K, Vieira TM, Gallina A, Kouzaki M, Moritani T. Novel Insights Into Biarticular Muscle Actions Gained From High-Density Electromyogram. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2021; 49:179-187. [PMID: 33927163 PMCID: PMC8191471 DOI: 10.1249/jes.0000000000000254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Biarticular muscles have traditionally been considered to exhibit homogeneous neuromuscular activation. The regional activation of biarticular muscles, as revealed from high-density surface electromyograms, seems however to discredit this notion. We thus hypothesize the regional activation of biarticular muscles may contribute to different actions about the joints they span. We then discuss the mechanistic basis and methodological implications underpinning our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Watanabe
- Laboratory of Neuromuscular Biomechanics, School of Health and Sport Sciences, Chukyo University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Taian Martins Vieira
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System, Electronics and Telecommunication Department, Politecnico di Torino
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessio Gallina
- Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain (CPR Spine), School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Motoki Kouzaki
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University
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Jung J, Kim K, Choi S, Song G, Ryu Y, Kim C, Lim C. Movement Time of Lower Trunk Muscles during Dynamic Postural Control in Response to a Sudden Visual Stimulus during Walking: A Pilot Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18095015. [PMID: 34068484 PMCID: PMC8125989 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18095015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Postural control during walking is maintained by the combination of various factors. Among these factors, adjustment of trunk movement is essential for maintaining postural control, and the response of muscles to unpredictable stimuli affects postural control. Loss of balance while walking increases the risk of accidents, the frequency of which depends on age and sex. In this study, we investigated whether there was a difference in the movement time of trunk muscles to sudden stimulation while walking according to age and sex. Fourteen healthy individuals aged 20-30 years (6 men, 8 women) and 12 individuals aged 50-70 years (4 men, 8 women) were included in the study. Movement time of bilateral erector spinae and rectus abdominis muscles in response to visual stimulation during walking was examined using surface electromyography. Movement time was calculated as the total muscle activation time excluding the reaction time. This study revealed no significant differences in movement time of the erector spinae muscles according to sex or age. The role of the rectus abdominis muscles in maintaining posture during walking was insignificant. In conclusion, the movement time of trunk muscles in response to sudden visual stimulation during walking did not differ by age or sex, and the difference in accident frequency may be associated with deterioration of other factors required to maintain posture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehyun Jung
- College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (J.J.); (S.C.); (G.S.)
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan 15355, Korea
| | - Kewwan Kim
- Department of Physical Education, College of Arts and Physical Education, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea;
| | - Sungjae Choi
- College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (J.J.); (S.C.); (G.S.)
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Ansan 15355, Korea
| | - Gwangyu Song
- College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea; (J.J.); (S.C.); (G.S.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Korea
| | - Young Ryu
- Department of Physical Education, Graduate School of Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea;
| | - Cholhee Kim
- Department of Physical Education, Graduate School of Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea;
- Correspondence: (C.K.); (C.L.); Tel.: +82-32-820-4424 (C.L.); Fax: +82-32-820-4069 (C.L.)
| | - Chaegil Lim
- Department of Physical Therapy, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.K.); (C.L.); Tel.: +82-32-820-4424 (C.L.); Fax: +82-32-820-4069 (C.L.)
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10
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Promsri A, Mohr M, Federolf P. Principal postural acceleration and myoelectric activity: Interrelationship and relevance for characterizing neuromuscular function in postural control. Hum Mov Sci 2021; 77:102792. [PMID: 33862279 DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2021.102792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
One approach to investigating sensorimotor control is to assess the accelerations that produce changes in the kinematic state of the system. When assessing complex whole-body movements, structuring the multi-segmental accelerations is important. A useful structuring can be achieved through a principal component analysis (PCA) performed on segment positions followed by double-differentiation to obtain "principal accelerations" (PAs). In past research PAs have proven sensitive to altered motor control strategies, however, the interrelationship between PAs and muscle activation (surface electromyography, sEMG) have never been determined. The purpose of the current study was therefore to assess the relationship between PAs and sEMG signals recorded from muscles controlling the ankle joint during one-leg standing trials. It was hypothesized that medium correlation should be observed when accounting for neurophysiologic latencies (electro-mechanical delay). Unipedal balancing on a level-rigid ground was performed by 25 volunteers. sEMG activities were recorded from the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, gastrocnemius medialis, and soleus muscles of the stance leg. The first eight PA-time series were determined from kinematic marker data. Then, a cross-correlation analysis was performed between sEMG and PA time series. We found that peak correlation coefficients for many participants aligned at time delays between 0.116 and 0.362 s and were typically in the range small to medium (|r| = 0.1 to 0.6). Thus, the current study confirmed a direct association between many principal accelerations PA(t) and muscle activation signals recorded from four muscles crossing the ankle joint complex. The combined analysis of PA and sEMG signals allowed exploring the neuromuscular function of each muscle in different postural movement components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arunee Promsri
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Department of Physical Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo 2 Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand; Unit of Excellence in Well-Being and Health Innovation, School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Phayao, 19 Moo2 Maeka, Muang, Phayao 56000, Thailand.
| | - Maurice Mohr
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Peter Federolf
- Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Fürstenweg 185, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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11
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Rubega M, Di Marco R, Zampini M, Formaggio E, Menegatti E, Bonato P, Masiero S, Del Felice A. Muscular and cortical activation during dynamic and static balance in the elderly: A scoping review. AGING BRAIN 2021; 1:100013. [PMID: 36911521 PMCID: PMC9997172 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbas.2021.100013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Falls due to balance impairment are a major cause of injury and disability in the elderly. The study of neurophysiological correlates during static and dynamic balance tasks is an emerging area of research that could lead to novel rehabilitation strategies and reduce fall risk. This review aims to highlight key concepts and identify gaps in the current knowledge of balance control in the elderly that could be addressed by relying on surface electromyographic (EMG) and electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings. The neurophysiological hypotheses underlying balance studies in the elderly as well as the methodologies, findings, and limitations of prior work are herein addressed. The literature shows: 1) a wide heterogeneity in the experimental procedures, protocols, and analyses; 2) a paucity of studies involving the investigation of cortical activity; 3) aging-related alterations of cortical activation during balance tasks characterized by lower cortico-muscular coherence and increased allocation of attentional control to postural tasks in the elderly; and 4) EMG patterns characterized by delayed onset after perturbations, increased levels of activity, and greater levels of muscle co-activation in the elderly compared to younger adults. EMG and EEG recordings are valuable tools to monitor muscular and cortical activity during the performance of balance tasks. However, standardized protocols and analysis techniques should be agreed upon and shared by the scientific community to provide reliable and reproducible results. This will allow researchers to gain a comprehensive knowledge on the neurophysiological changes affecting static and dynamic balance in the elderly and will inform the design of rehabilitative and preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rubega
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 5, 35128 Padova, IT, Italy
| | - Roberto Di Marco
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 5, 35128 Padova, IT, Italy
| | - Marianna Zampini
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 5, 35128 Padova, IT, Italy
| | - Emanuela Formaggio
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 5, 35128 Padova, IT, Italy
| | - Emanuele Menegatti
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Padova, Padova, IT, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonato
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Stefano Masiero
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 5, 35128 Padova, IT, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, IT, Italy
| | - Alessandra Del Felice
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Rehabilitation, University of Padova, via Giustiniani 5, 35128 Padova, IT, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Padova, IT, Italy
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12
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Effect of footwear on intramuscular EMG activity of plantar flexor muscles in walking. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 2020; 55:102474. [PMID: 32979677 DOI: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2020.102474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the purposes of footwear is to assist locomotion, but some footwear types seem to restrict natural foot motion, which may affect the contribution of ankle plantar flexor muscles to propulsion. This study examined the effects of different footwear conditions on the activity of ankle plantar flexors during walking. Ten healthy habitually shod individuals walked overground in shoes, barefoot and in flip-flops while fine-wire electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from flexor hallucis longus (FHL), soleus (SOL), and medial and lateral gastrocnemius (MG and LG) muscles. EMG signals were peak-normalised and analysed in the stance phase using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM). We found highly individual EMG patterns. Although walking with shoes required higher muscle activity for propulsion than walking barefoot or with flip-flops in most participants, this did not result in statistically significant differences in EMG amplitude between footwear conditions in any muscle (p > 0.05). Time to peak activity showed the lowest coefficient of variation in shod walking (3.5, 7.0, 8.0 and 3.4 for FHL, SOL, MG and LG, respectively). Future studies should clarify the sources and consequences of individual EMG responses to different footwear.
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Campanini I, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rymer WZ, Merletti R. Surface EMG in Clinical Assessment and Neurorehabilitation: Barriers Limiting Its Use. Front Neurol 2020; 11:934. [PMID: 32982942 PMCID: PMC7492208 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This article addresses the potential clinical value of techniques based on surface electromyography (sEMG) in rehabilitation medicine with specific focus on neurorehabilitation. Applications in exercise and sport pathophysiology, in movement analysis, in ergonomics and occupational medicine, and in a number of related fields are also considered. The contrast between the extensive scientific literature in these fields and the limited clinical applications is discussed. The "barriers" between research findings and their application are very broad, and are longstanding, cultural, educational, and technical. Cultural barriers relate to the general acceptance and use of the concept of objective measurement in a clinical setting and its role in promoting Evidence Based Medicine. Wide differences between countries exist in appropriate training in the use of such quantitative measurements in general, and in electrical measurements in particular. These differences are manifest in training programs, in degrees granted, and in academic/research career opportunities. Educational barriers are related to the background in mathematics and physics for rehabilitation clinicians, leading to insufficient basic concepts of signal interpretation, as well as to the lack of a common language with rehabilitation engineers. Technical barriers are being overcome progressively, but progress is still impacted by the lack of user-friendly equipment, insufficient market demand, gadget-like devices, relatively high equipment price and a pervasive lack of interest by manufacturers. Despite the recommendations provided by the 20-year old EU project on "Surface EMG for Non-Invasive Assessment of Muscles (SENIAM)," real international standards are still missing and there is minimal international pressure for developing and applying such standards. The need for change in training and teaching is increasingly felt in the academic world, but is much less perceived in the health delivery system and clinical environments. The rapid technological progress in the fields of sensor and measurement technology (including sEMG), assistive devices, and robotic rehabilitation, has not been driven by clinical demands. Our assertion is that the most important and urgent interventions concern enhanced education, more effective technology transfer, and increased academic opportunities for physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and kinesiologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Campanini
- LAM-Motion Analysis Laboratory, Neuromotor and Rehabilitation Department, San Sebastiano Hospital, Correggio, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Catherine Disselhorst-Klug
- Department of Rehabilitation & Prevention Engineering, Institute of Applied Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - William Z. Rymer
- Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Single Motor Unit Laboratory, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Roberto Merletti
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN), Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
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Orawiec RB, Nowak SB, Tomaszewski P. Postural stability in Parkinson's disease patients' wives and in elderly women leading different lifestyles. Health Care Women Int 2019; 40:1070-1083. [PMID: 30742568 DOI: 10.1080/07399332.2018.1531865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The study aimed to determine postural stability of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients' wives in comparison with women differing in their lifestyle. (PD) patients' wives (n = 44), homemakers (n = 41), and female students of the University of the Third Age (n = 43) performed balance tests on a stabilometric platform. The PD patients' wives were characterized by significantly (p < 0.001) higher values of mean velocity sway than the homemakers and students (approximately 3.5 and 5 mm/s, respectively) and performed worst in displacement velocity and sway range in both sagittal and frontal plane. The results indicate that the wives of PD patients need support in the area of health training targeted at improving their standing stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata B Orawiec
- Department of Physiotherapy, Kazimierz Pulaski University of Technology and Humanities , Radom , Poland
| | - Stanisław B Nowak
- Department of Physical Education, Kazimierz Pulaski University of Technology and Humanities , Radom , Poland
| | - Paweł Tomaszewski
- Department of Biometry, The Jozef Pilsudski University of Physical Education , Warsaw , Poland
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Dos Anjos FV, Gazzoni M, Vieira TM. Does the activity of ankle plantar flexors differ between limbs while healthy, young subjects stand at ease? J Biomech 2018; 81:140-144. [PMID: 30301550 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Inferences on the active contribution of plantar flexors to the stabilisation of human standing posture have been drawn from surface electromyograms (EMGs). Surface EMGs were however often detected unilaterally, presuming the myoelectric activity from muscles in a single leg reflects the pattern of muscle activation in both legs. In this study we question whether surface EMGs detected from plantar flexor muscles in both legs provide equal estimates of the duration of activity. Arrays of surface electrodes were used to collect EMGs from gastrocnemius and soleus muscles while twelve, young male participants stood at ease for 60 s. Muscles in each leg were deemed active whenever the Root Mean Square amplitude of EMGs (40 ms epochs) detected by any channel in the arrays exceeded the noise level, defined from EMGs detected during rest. The Chi-Square statistics revealed significant differences in the relative number of active periods for both muscles in 10 out of 12 participants tested, ranging from 2% to 65% (χ2 > 17.90; P < 0.01). Pearson correlation analysis indicated side differences in the duration of gastrocnemius though not soleus activity were associated with the centre of pressure mean, lateral position (R = 0.60; P = 0.035). These results suggest therefore that surface EMGs may provide different estimates of the timing of plantar flexors' activity if collected unilaterally during standing and that asymmetric activation may be not necessarily associated with weight distribution between limbs. Depending on the body side from which EMGs are collected, the active contribution of plantar flexors to standing stabilization may be either under- or over-valued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio V Dos Anjos
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy; Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN), Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy.
| | - Marco Gazzoni
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy; Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN), Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Taian M Vieira
- PoliToBIOMed Lab, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy; Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System (LISiN), Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
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Vigotsky AD, Halperin I, Lehman GJ, Trajano GS, Vieira TM. Interpreting Signal Amplitudes in Surface Electromyography Studies in Sport and Rehabilitation Sciences. Front Physiol 2018; 8:985. [PMID: 29354060 PMCID: PMC5758546 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a popular research tool in sport and rehabilitation sciences. Common study designs include the comparison of sEMG amplitudes collected from different muscles as participants perform various exercises and techniques under different loads. Based on such comparisons, researchers attempt to draw conclusions concerning the neuro- and electrophysiological underpinning of force production and hypothesize about possible longitudinal adaptations, such as strength and hypertrophy. However, such conclusions are frequently unsubstantiated and unwarranted. Hence, the goal of this review is to discuss what can and cannot be inferred from comparative research designs as it pertains to both the acute and longitudinal outcomes. General methodological recommendations are made, gaps in the literature are identified, and lines for future research to help improve the applicability of sEMG are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Vigotsky
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States
| | - Israel Halperin
- Physiology Discipline, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,Centre for Exercise and Sport Science Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia
| | | | - Gabriel S Trajano
- School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Taian M Vieira
- Laboratory for Engineering of the Neuromuscular System, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy
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Ankle muscle activity modulation during single-leg stance differs between children, young adults and seniors. Eur J Appl Physiol 2017; 118:239-247. [DOI: 10.1007/s00421-017-3764-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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