title: Mechanomyography versus electromyography, in monitoring the muscular fatigue.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of the mechanomyogram (MMG) which detects muscular vibrations generated by fused individual fiber twitches has been refined. The study addresses a comparison of the MMG and surface electromyogram (SEMG) in monitoring muscle fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SEMG and MMG were recorded simultaneously from the same territory of motor units in two muscles (Biceps, Brachioradialis) of the human (n = 18), during sustained contraction at 25 % MVC (maximal voluntary contraction).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RMS (root mean square) of the SEMG and MMG increased with advancing fatigue; MF (median frequency) of the PSD (power density spectra) progressively decreased from the onset of the contraction. These findings (both muscles, all subjects), demonstrate both through the SEMG and MMG a central component of the fatigue. The MF regression slopes of MMG were closer to each other between men and women (Biceps 1.55%; Brachialis 13.2%) than were the SEMG MF slopes (Biceps 25.32%; Brachialis 17.72%), which shows a smaller inter-sex variability for the MMG vs. SEMG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study presents another quantitative comparison (MF, RMS) of MMG and SEMG, showing that MMG signal can be used for indication of the degree of muscle activation and for monitoring the muscle fatigue when the application of SEMG is not feasible (chronical implants, adverse environments contaminated by electrical noise).
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Informatics, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Bul, Antonescu 62, Craiova, Romania. mtarata@iastate.edu
authors.forename: Mihai T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Tarata
mesh_terms: D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D018763:Muscle Fatigue / Q000502:physiology*; D009213:Myography / Q000379:methods*; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors