The EMG Signal

EMG Frequency Spectrum

Fatigue
Signal Processing.4
Motor Unit Firing Rates
Firing rate = frequency
No. of cycles (firings) per unit of time
Example: 175 cps = 175 Hertz (Hz)
Range of frequencies = the (Power)
Spectrum = the Bandwidth
Slow twitch motor units (tonic - Type I)
Frequency range = (20) 70 - 125 Hz
Fast twitch motor units (phasic - Type II)
Frequency range = 126 - 250 Hz
The Power Spectrum
ST FT
ST = Slow twitch mus
FT = Fast twitch mus
Bandwidth
Muscle Fatigue.1
Grossly manifests as a decrease in
tension/force (and power) production
Insufficient O
2

Energy stores used up/exhausted
Lactic acid builds up
Circulatory system has difficulty removing lactic
acid
Accumulates in extracellular fluid surrounding
muscle fibers (Bass & Moore, 1973; Tasaki et al.,
1967)
Decreases pH


Muscle Fatigue.2
Decreased pH causes a decrease in the
conduction velocity of muscle fibers
Fast twitch (phasic) motor units relying on
anaerobic respiration will be more sensitive
to circulatory inefficiency and will decrease
their activity or stop functioning before
slow twitch (tonic - aerobic) motor units
(De Luca et al., 1986)


Muscle Fatigue.3
Sustained muscle contractions (i.e.,
isometric) may cause local occlusion of
arterioles due to internal pressure and have
a similar limiting effect on circulation with
resultant decrease in extracellular pH
(De Luca et al., 1986)



Muscle Fatigue.4
With decreased conduction velocity of
muscle fibers
Decrease in peak twitch tensions
Increase in contraction times
Corresponding decrease in firing frequency
The result is a decrease in force


Muscle Fatigue.5
With fatigue there is
a change in the shape
of action potentials
(Enoka, 1994)
Decreased amplitude
Increased duration
Result is a EMG
spectrum shift to
lower frequencies
(Winter, 1990)


Muscle Fatigue.6
As fatigue progresses there is a shift to
lower frequencies
Fast twitch (higher frequency) motor units drop
out first
Slow twitch (lower frequency) motor units
retained


Muscle Fatigue.7
Therefore a spectral shift to the left


Spectral Analysis
Indicies of frequency shift (Soderberg &
Knutson, 2000)
Mean power frequency
Median power frequency
More commonly used
Not susceptible to extremes in the range (bandwidth)
Therefore a more sensitive measure (Knaflitz & De Luca,
1990)
Therefore a decrease in the median power
frequency serves as an index of fatigue
Frequency-Domain Analysis.1
Transformation from the time domain to the
frequency domain
Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT)
Fourier series of equations

Frequency-Domain Analysis.2
Removes the time between successive
action potentials so that they appear as
periodic functions of time
Pre-fatigue
Fatigue
Frequency-Domain Analysis.3
Action potentials
represented by a best-
fitting combination of
sine-cosine functions
to characterize the
frequency and
amplitude of the signal
Result is a single line
(per frequency)

Fatigue
Pre-fatigue
Frequency-Domain Analysis.4
Result is plotted on a frequency-amplitude
graph
Frequency-Domain Analysis.5
Major factors that cause an active change in
frequency
Action potential shape (see above)
Decrease motor unit discharge rate
Frequency-Domain Analysis.6
Action potential shape
Changes due to
conduction velocity
rate along sarcolema
of muscle fiber
As conduction
velocity decreases the
duration of action
potential decreases
causing a decrease in
the median power
frequency (De Luca,
1984)
Decrease in motor unit
discharge rate
Causes grouping of
action potentiasl at low
frequencies ~10 Hz
(Krogh-Lund &
Jogensen, 1992)
Frequency-Domain Analysis.7
Outcome: a decrease in median power
frequency
Shift to the left
Frequency-Domain Analysis.8
Converse relationship with increasing force
production
Moritani & Muro (1987) found a significant
increase in mean power frequency with
increasing force during an MVC of the biceps
brachii
Median Power Frequency
Calculation Procedure
Sample data in
multiples of x
2

(Example 1024 Hz)

Median Power Frequency
Calculation Procedure
Sample data in
multiples of x
2

(Example 1024 Hz)
Rectify and filter
(BP or LP) raw
signal

Median Power Frequency
Calculation Procedure
Sample data at
multiples of x
2

(Example 1024 Hz)
Rectify and filter
(BP or LP) raw
signal
Apply FFT

Hz
Median Power Frequency
Calculation Procedure
Sample data at
multiples of x
2

(Example 1024 Hz)
Rectify and filter
(BP or LP) raw
signal
Apply FFT
Compute median (or
mean power)
frequency

Spec_rev with cursors.vi (with BP filter: cutoffs = 20 & 500 Hz)
Reference Sources
Bass, L., & Moore, W.J. (1973). The role of protons in nerve
conduction. Progressive Biophysics and Molecular
Biology, 27, 143.

Bracewell, R.N. (1989). The Fourier transform. Scientific
American, June, 86-95.
Reference Sources
De Luca, C. J. (1984). Myoelectric manifestations of localized
muscular fatigue in humans. CRC critical reviews in
biomedical engineering, 11, 251-279.

De Luca, C.J., Sabbahi, M.A., Stulen, F.B., & Bilotto, G.
(1982). Some properties of median nerve frequency of the
myoelectric signal during localized muscular fatigue.
Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium on
Biochemistry and Exercise, 175-186.

Enoka, R. M. (1994). Neuromechanical basis of kinesiology
(Ed. 2). Champaign, Ill: Human Kinetics, pp. 166-170.

Reference Sources
Fahy, K., Prez, E. (1993). Fast Fourier transforms and the
power spectra in LabVIEW. Application Note 040,
February, Austin TX: National Instruments Corp.
(www.ni.com) (pn: 340479-01)

Gniewek, M.T. (19xx). Waveform analysis using the Fourier
transform. Application Note-11, Great Britain: AT/MCA
CODAS-Keithly Instruments, Ltd., pp1-6.

Reference Sources
Harvey, A.F., & Cerna, M. (1993). The fundamentals of FFT-
based signal analysis and measurements in LabVIEW and
LabWindows. Application Note 041, November, Austin,
TX: National Instruments Corp. (www.ni.com) (pn:
340555-01.

Krogh-Lund, C., & Jorgensen, K. (1992). Modification of
myo-electric power spectrum in fatgiue from 15% maximal
voluntary contraction of human elbow flexor muscles, to
limit of endurance: reflection of conduction velocity
variation and/or centrally mediated mechanisms? European
Journal of Applied Physiology, 64, 359-370.


Reference Sources
Moritani, T., & Muro, M. (1987). Motor unit activity and
surface electromyogram power spectrum during increasing
force of contraction. European Journal of Applied
Physiology, 56, 260-265.

Merleti, R., Knaflitz, M., & De Luca, C.J. (1990).
Myoelectric manifestations of fatigue in voluntary and
electrically elicited contractions. Journal of Applied
Physiology, 69, 1810-1820.
Reference Sources
Ramirez, R.W. (1985). The FFT: fundamentals and concepts.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall PTR.

Soderberg, G.L., Knutson, L.M. (2000). A guide for use and
interpretation of kinesiologic electromyographic data.
Physical Therapy, 80, 485-498.

Tasaki, I., Singer, I., & Takenaka, T. (1967). Effects of
internal and external ionic environment on the excitability
of squid giant axon. Journal of General Physiology, 48,
1095.
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

Winter, D.A. (1990). Biomechanics and motor control of
human movement (2nd Ed). New York: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc., 191-212.