The fatigability of two agonistic muscles in human isometric voluntary submaximal contraction: an EMG study. I. Assessment of muscular fatigue by means of surface EMG

Abstract

During an external isometric constant torque (25% of the maximal voluntary contraction) maintained until the maximal endurance time (limit time), we analysed and compared the changes in electromyographic (EMG) activity illustrating muscular fatigue simultaneously with mechanical activity (the tangential acceleration theta") related to physiological tremor. The EMG activities recorded were of two agonistic flexors, the biceps brachii (BB) and the brachioradialis (BR) muscles and one of the main extensors, the triceps brachii (TB). The integrated EMG increase and the mean power frequency (MPF) of the power spectrum density function (PSDF) decrease were larger for BR than for BB activity. These two findings suggested a greater BR fatigability. However, it is shown that differences between BB and BR MPF changes could be related to differences in the PSDF upper frequency limit of the two muscles and also to the relative magnitude of their tremor component.