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Tracking motor unit action potentials in the tibialis anterior during fatigue
Author(s) -
Beck Rebecca B.,
O'malley Mark J.,
Stegeman Dick F.,
Houtman Caroline J.,
Connolly Sean,
Zwarts Machiel J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.20375
Subject(s) - isometric exercise , motor unit , electromyography , nerve conduction velocity , muscle fatigue , tibialis anterior muscle , physical medicine and rehabilitation , biomedical engineering , amplitude , population , computer science , medicine , anatomy , physical therapy , physics , skeletal muscle , environmental health , quantum mechanics
New surface electromyogram (SEMG) techniques offer the potential to advance knowledge of healthy and diseased motor units. Conduction velocity (CV) estimates, obtained from indwelling electrodes, may provide diagnostic information, but the standard method of CV estimation from SEMG may be of only limited value. We developed a motor unit (MU) tracking algorithm to extract motor unit conduction velocity (MUCV) and motor unit action potential (MUAP) amplitude estimates from SEMG. The technique is designed to provide a noninvasive means of accessing fatigue and recruitment behavior of individual MUs. We have applied this MU tracking algorithm to SEMG data recorded during isometric fatiguing contractions of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle in nine healthy subjects, at 30%–40% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). The results reveal that MUCVs and MUAP amplitudes of individual MUs can be estimated and tracked across time. Time‐related changes in the MU population may also be monitored. Thus, the SEMG technique employed provides insight into the behavior of the underlying muscle at the MU level by noninvasive means. Muscle Nerve, 2005