On the assessment of muscle fatigue rate via various EMG frequency spectral parameters

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1989

Abstract

A research study was undertaken to investigate the fatigue process of quadriceps muscle during sustained isometric contraction at several work load levels using root-mean-squared (RMS) voltage and frequency parameters of EMG frequency spectral distribution. Its objective was to evaluate the possibility of using those parameters to indicate muscle fatigue rate. Twelve male subjects participated in an experiment which required them to exert and maintain isometric knee extension forces at 25%, 40%, 55%, and 70% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force levels. The results showed that both initial mean power frequency (MPF) and median power frequency (MF) (as determined from MPF and MF versus time curves) were not significantly influenced by muscle contraction level (p > 0.1). RMS voltage, MPF, and MF linear slopes, on the other hand, were significantly correlated to muscle contraction level (p < 0.001) which suggested that they could be used to represent muscle fatigue rate. The exponential relationship found in this study showed that quadriceps fatigued at an increasing rate as the work load increased. Further, an improvement in the coefficient of correlation between their linear slopes and muscle work load was found when expressing muscle work load in terms of the ratio of force to body weight. This finding indicated the possibility of using body weight as a basis of determining work load level which could help to improve the quality of quantitative assessment of muscle fatigue. © 1989.

Identifier

0024764823 (Scopus)

Publication Title

International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-8141(89)90004-8

ISSN

01698141

First Page

213

Last Page

224

Issue

3

Volume

4

Grant

822

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