title: Muscular activity of lower limb muscles associated with working on inclined surfaces.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of visual cues, muscular fatigue, task performance and experience of working on inclined surfaces on activity of postural muscles in the lower limbs associated with maintaining balance on three inclined surfaces - 0°, 14° and 26°. Normalised electromyographic (NEMG) data were collected in 44 professional roofers bilaterally from the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialii anterior and gastrocnemii medial muscle groups. The 50th and 95th percentile NEMG amplitudes were used as EMG variables. Results showed that inclination angle and task performance caused a significant increase in the NEMG amplitudes of all postural muscles. Visual cues were significantly associated with a decrease in the 95th percentile EMG amplitude for the right gastrocnemius medial and tibialis anterior. Fatigue was related to a significant decrease in the NEMG amplitude for the rectus femoris. Experience of working on inclined surfaces did not have a significant effect on the NEMG amplitude.
authors.affiliation: a Taft Laboratories, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , 4676 Columbia Parkway, MS C-24, Cincinnati , OH 45226 , USA.
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Laurel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kincl
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Succop
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D060389:Construction Industry; D003463:Cues; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018763:Muscle Fatigue; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D052097:Quadriceps Muscle / Q000502:physiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D014937:Work / Q000502:physiology*; D017132:Workplace
keywords: EMG; fatigue; inclined surfaces; postural stability; visual cues