emg 1 Flashcards

1
Q

why do we measure EMG (5)

A
  1. to infer force
  2. find muscles activated during a task
  3. determine pathology
  4. calc conduction velocity
  5. calc power
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2
Q

what is a motor unit

A

motor neuron (nerve cell) and all fibres it innervates

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3
Q

E-C coupling

A

Excitation-Contraction coupling

  • action potential in skeletal muscle cells is what causes muscle cell contraction
  • calcium ions regulate whether or not contraction occurs
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4
Q

propagation of action potential

(from motor neuron to muscle

A
  • AP down axon to endplate
  • neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) diffuses across synaptic cleft and binds receptors on sarcolemma
  • AP across sarcolemma to T-tubules
  • release Ca2+ all over muscle
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5
Q

role of calcium in muscle contraction

A
  • calcium binds troponin
  • changes configuration of troponin-tropomyosin complex
  • tropomyosin no longer blocks actin active site
  • myosin can bind
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6
Q

what is EMG actually measuring

A

AP down the sarcolemma

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7
Q

EMG actual name

A

electromyography

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8
Q

rheobase

A
  • measure of membrane excitability
  • minimum current amplitude required that results in the depolarization threshold of cell membranes, such as APs or muscle contraction

*small MU = small rheobase
easiest to recruit

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9
Q

how do we know what type of motor unit we are seeing when we first start a ramp voluntary contraction
- why

A
  • recruitment from smallest to largest
  • easiest to recruit (smallest rheobase)
  • fine motor control
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10
Q

3 types of motor units

- general characteristics

A

fast twitch

  • largest fibres and more fibres
  • high force production
  • quick to fatigue
  • more cross bridges = more force

intermediate

slow twitch
- small fibre size and fewer fibres

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11
Q

Henneman’s Size Principle

A
  • the orderly recruitment of MUs is due to variations in “motor neuron size”
  • smaller MUs with smaller motor neurons are recruited first
  • pertains to ALL MUs in a motor neuron pool
  • due to morphology issues (rheobase)
  • derecruitment: sequential inactivation
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12
Q

two ways to control muscle force

A
  1. recruitment
    - more motor units
  2. rate coding
    - make active MUs fire more often
    - fused tetanus

*spatial and temporal summation

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13
Q

time from excitation to contraction in humans

A

0.2 seconds

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14
Q

EMG can be used to estimate ….

A

force production of specific muscles

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15
Q

benefits of small vs large motor units

A

small
- fine motor control

large
- greater force production

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16
Q

purpose and placement of a ground electrode when measuring EMG

A

make sure measuring only biological tissue

- place on a neutral location (ex. boney elbow)

17
Q

why use two electrodes when measuring EMG

A

signal down muscle very small

  • electrodes amplify signal
  • could also amplify external noise
  • external noise viewed “same time” in both electrodes
  • conductance in muscle “different time” in 2 electrodes
  • therefore amplify the difference only
18
Q

where to place electrodes in EMG collection

A

midline of muscle belly

- location where the EMG signal with the greatest amplitude can be detected

19
Q

crosstalk

A

EMG pics up the AP of other muscles not of interest

20
Q

where NOT to place EMG electrodes (4)

A

neuromuscular junction
- too much EMG activity

side of muscle

  • fewer fibres
  • crosstalk

musculotendonous junction
- limited electrical activity

subcutaneous tissue

  • acts as a filter
  • smooths EMG signal, removes high freq component
21
Q

what to know when placing EMG electrodes (5)

A

place close together

  • certain bandwidth of frequency –> standardized across experiments
  • limits crosstalk but doesnt pick up all motor units

clean skin
- remove impedance

minimize movement of electrode leads
- reduce movement artifact (non muscle activty)

use ground and a differential amplifier
- amplify difference, subtract some environmental noise

keep EMG leads away from main power supply
- reduce environmental noise

22
Q

what contributes to EMG / force relationship?

A
  1. muscle characteristics
    - size, fibre type, contribution of synergistic muscles
  2. motor units recorded by EMG
    - only measuring a fraction of the muscle
  3. % of max force output
    - rate coding near max still increases EMG with limited effect on force production
  4. agonist vs antagonist muscle
    - synergist increase force without increasing EMG
  5. length of muscle
    - more cross bridges formed increases force production
  6. velocity of movement
    - increase force with fast twitch fibres and slower speed
23
Q

graphical EMG / force relationship

A

linear at lower force / exponential at higher force

  • largest fibres contribute last, higher voltage needed
  • increases in rate coding with contribute to EMG while most MU force is saturated
  • slow twitch force production maxed out (fused tetnus) but still fire at higher frequency to summation of fast twitch muscle fibers
  • only occurs in muscles with different fiber types
    ex. biceps –> 80% linear
24
Q

2 ways to increase force production

A
rate coding (wave summation)
motor unit recruitment
25
Q

purpose of rectifying the EMG data

A

all positive values

  • removes negative values
  • otherwise average would be zero
26
Q

purpose of filtering data

A

filters out high frequencies

- smooths out the curve

27
Q

types of data filtering

A

low pass

  • every 4/10 points gives 1 point
  • whole signal moves forward (time lag)
  • good representation of the delayed onset of force to electrical stimulus

dual pass filter

  • filters in both directions
  • removes time lag
  • used when representing EMG (not force)
28
Q

amplitude normalization

- why

A

presenting the values to a standardized value (%)

why

  • amplitude of signal will depend on electrode placement
  • signal will differ across subjects and days
29
Q

how to normalize data

A

maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)

  • relative to a phase movement
  • amplitude of EMG / amplitude of MVC

*must rectify and filter data first **

30
Q

zeroing

- what to do in lab to ensure this can be done

A

subtract the resting baseline value from the entire data set

  • move down the curve
  • amplitude calculated represents the change in amplitude

*collect 1-2sec of background data

31
Q

amplitude calculation

A

first rectify, filter and zero the data
average the data over peak 100ms

hint - sampling at 1000Hz, which is 1000samples per seconds, or one sample per ms

32
Q

calculating power in lab

A

3 curls per weight

  • record time (1s up, 1s down)
  • record distance
  • calculate with formula