Detection of muscle fatigue caused by repeated posterior tongue lift movement from neck surface EMG: a pilot study

Background Fatigue is an important factor for muscle strengthening in rehabilitation medicine. Frequency analysis has been regarded as the gold standard fatigue assessment surface electromyography (EMG). However, there are no experiments quantifying with grouped discharge (GD), which one of historical phenomena observed patients having fatigue, by using high sampling rate recording EMG. Objective To investigate effect induced repeated posterior tongue lift movement (TLM), on occurrence GD peaks, thus, to provide possible basis a parameter future evaluation. Methods Nineteen healthy adults (9 men and 10 women) participated this study. The protocol consisted repetitive TLM maximum voluntary contractions (MVC). Bilateral N-EMG (Neck EMG measuring activity tongue) was recorded. Results Subjective at end significantly higher than beginning throughout (p < .01). frequency peaks 0.9 ± 1.2 (per second) baseline 33 38 subject sides, increased depending progression Conclusion It shown that due lifting resulted significant increase peaks. Especially, nature GD, showing very few occurrences non-fatigue condition, might work advantageous property its use absolute evaluation phenomena.