Comparison of Fourier and wavelet transform procedures for examining the mechanomyographic and electromyographic frequency domain responses during fatiguing isokinetic muscle actions of the biceps brachii.

The primary purpose of the present study was to compare the fast Fourier transform (FFT) with the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) for determining the mechanomyographic (MMG) and electromyographic (EMG) center frequency [mean power frequency (mpf), median frequency (mdf), or wavelet center frequency (cf)] patterns during fatiguing isokinetic muscle actions of the biceps brachii. Seven men (mean+/-SD age=23+/-3 years) volunteered to perform 50 consecutive maximal, concentric isokinetic muscle actions of the dominant forearm flexors at a velocity of 180 degrees s(-1). Non-parametric "run" tests indicated significant (p<0.05) trends in the MMG and EMG signals for the 5th, 25th, and 45th muscle actions for all subjects, thereby confirming non-stationarity of the MMG and EMG signals. There were significant (p<0.05) correlations among the average normalized mpf, mdf, and cf values for contractions 1-50 for both MMG (r=0.671-0.935) and EMG (r=0.956-0.987). Polynomial regression analyses demonstrated quadratic decreases in normalized MMG mpf (R2=0.439), MMG mdf (R2=0.258), MMG cf (R2=0.359), EMG mpf (R2=0.952), EMG mdf (R2=0.914) and EMG cf (R2=0.888) across repetitions. The primary finding of this study was the similarity in the mpf, mdf, and cf patterns for both MMG and EMG, which suggested that, despite the concerns over non-stationarity, Fourier based methods are acceptable for determining the patterns for normalized MMG and EMG center frequency during fatiguing dynamic muscle actions at moderate velocities.

[1]  Dinesh Kant Kumar,et al.  Wavelet analysis of surface electromyography , 2003, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering.

[2]  T. Masuda,et al.  Changes in surface EMG parameters during static and dynamic fatiguing contractions. , 1999, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[3]  Terry J. Housh,et al.  Mechanomyography and oxygen consumption during incremental cycle ergometry , 1997, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[4]  Claudio Orizio,et al.  Soundmyogram and EMG cross-spectrum during exhausting isometric contractions in humans. , 1992, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[5]  P Madeleine,et al.  Mechanomyography and electromyography force relationships during concentric, isometric and eccentric contractions. , 2001, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[6]  Katsumi Mita,et al.  Mechanomyographic responses during voluntary ramp contractions of the human first dorsal interosseous muscle , 2003, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[7]  Jun Yu,et al.  Time-frequency analysis of myoelectric signals during dynamic contractions: a comparative study , 2000, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[8]  D. Barry,et al.  Muscle sounds are emitted at the resonant frequencies of skeletal muscle , 1990, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[9]  Joseph P. Weir,et al.  Mechanomyographic and electromyographic responses during fatigue in humans: influence of muscle length , 2000, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[10]  E. Bichler,et al.  Mechanomyographic signals generated during unfused tetani of single motor units in the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle , 2001, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[11]  M. Akay,et al.  Enhancement of spectral analysis of myoelectric signals during static contractions using wavelet methods , 1999, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[12]  M. Stokes,et al.  Acoustic myography for investigating human skeletal muscle fatigue. , 1991, Journal of applied physiology.

[13]  R. Scott,et al.  The short-time Fourier transform and muscle fatigue assessment in dynamic contractions. , 2001, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[14]  H. Devries,et al.  Mechanomyographic and electromyographic responses during submaximal cycle ergometry , 2000, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[15]  J. Bendat,et al.  Random Data: Analysis and Measurement Procedures , 1971 .

[16]  B Maton,et al.  Evaluation of human dynamic contraction by phonomyography. , 1992, Journal of applied physiology.

[17]  M. Stokes,et al.  Acoustic myography in the assessment of human masseter muscle. , 1993, Journal of oral rehabilitation.

[18]  O. Rioul,et al.  Wavelets and signal processing , 1991, IEEE Signal Processing Magazine.

[19]  G Sjøgaard,et al.  Extra- and intracellular water spaces in muscles of man at rest and with dynamic exercise. , 1982, The American journal of physiology.

[20]  T. Housh,et al.  Mechanomyographic and Electromyographic Responses to Unilateral Isometric Training , 2002, Journal of strength and conditioning research.

[21]  B. Diemont,et al.  Muscle sound and electromyogram spectrum analysis during exhausting contractions in man , 2005, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[22]  A. Jensen,et al.  Ripples in Mathematics - The Discrete Wavelet Transform , 2001 .

[23]  T. Moritani,et al.  Assessment of lower-back muscle fatigue using electromyography, mechanomyography, and near-infrared spectroscopy , 2001, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[24]  C Orizio,et al.  Muscle surface mechanical and electrical activities in myotonic dystrophy. , 1997, Electromyography and clinical neurophysiology.

[25]  C. Orizio,et al.  The surface mechanomyogram as a tool to describe the influence of fatigue on biceps brachii motor unit activation strategy. Historical basis and novel evidence , 2003, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[26]  C Orizio,et al.  Spectral analysis of muscular sound at low and high contraction level. , 1988, International journal of bio-medical computing.

[27]  D T Barry,et al.  Fluid mechanics of muscle vibrations. , 1988, Biophysical journal.

[28]  Benno M. Nigg,et al.  Biomechanics and Biology of Movement , 2000 .

[29]  T. R. Thompson,et al.  Recording sound from human skeletal muscle: Technical and physiological aspects , 1989, Muscle & nerve.

[30]  T Moritani,et al.  Intramuscular and surface electromyogram changes during muscle fatigue. , 1986, Journal of applied physiology.

[31]  T. Fukunaga,et al.  Non-uniform mechanical activity of quadriceps muscle during fatigue by repeated maximal voluntary contraction in humans , 1999, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[32]  M. Petitjean,et al.  Phonomyogram of the diaphragm during unilateral and bilateral phrenic nerve stimulation and changes with fatigue , 1994, Muscle & nerve.

[33]  T. Housh,et al.  Mechanomyographic amplitude and mean power output during maximal, concentric, isokinetic muscle actions , 2000, Muscle & nerve.

[34]  H Ramon,et al.  Validation of the wavelet spectral estimation technique in biceps brachii and brachioradialis fatigue assessment during prolonged low-level static and dynamic contractions. , 2004, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[35]  Toshihiro Ishiko,et al.  Relationships between muscle lactate accumulation and surface EMG activities during isokinetic contractions in man , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[36]  T. Housh,et al.  Mean power frequency and amplitude of the mechanomyographic signal during maximal eccentric isokinetic muscle actions. , 1999, Electromyography and clinical neurophysiology.

[37]  J. Basmajian.  Muscles Alive—their functions revealed by electromyography , 1963 .

[38]  T J Housh,et al.  Mean power frequency and amplitude of the mechanomyographic and electromyographic signals during incremental cycle ergometry. , 2001, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[39]  M. Akay,et al.  Analyzing surface myoelectric signals recorded during isokinetic contractions , 2001, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine.

[40]  F. Figura,et al.  Electromyographic and phonomyographic patterns in muscle atrophy in man , 1974 .

[41]  L. Lindstrom,et al.  Muscular fatigue and action potential conduction velocity changes studied with frequency analysis of EMG signals. , 1970, Electromyography.

[42]  M. Knaflitz,et al.  Analysis of myoelectric signals recorded during dynamic contractions , 1996 .

[43]  R E Gander,et al.  Changes in the myoelectric signal (MES) power spectra during dynamic contractions. , 1989, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[44]  T. Housh,et al.  Mechanomyographic and electromyographic responses to eccentric and concentric isokinetic muscle actions of the biceps brachii , 1998, Muscle & nerve.

[45]  J. S. Petrofsky,et al.  Frequency and amplitude analysis of the EMG during exercise on the bicycle ergometer , 1979, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[46]  E. Bichler.  Mechanomyograms recorded during evoked contractions of single motor units in the rat medial gastrocnemius muscle , 2000, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[47]  M. Stokes,et al.  Acoustic Myography: Applications and Considerations in Measuring Muscle Performance , 1993 .

[48]  M. Watakabe,et al.  Acoustic and electrical activities during voluntary isometric contraction of biceps brachii muscles in patients with spastic cerebral palsy , 1996, Muscle & nerve.

[49]  E. Pedhazur.  Multiple Regression in Behavioral Research: Explanation and Prediction , 1982 .

[50]  C. Orizio.  Muscle sound: bases for the introduction of a mechanomyographic signal in muscle studies. , 1993, Critical reviews in biomedical engineering.

[51]  S. R. Perry-Rana,et al.  MMG and EMG responses during fatiguing isokinetic muscle contractions at different velocities , 2002 .

[52]  P A Tesch,et al.  Force and EMG signal patterns during repeated bouts of concentric or eccentric muscle actions. , 1990, Acta physiologica Scandinavica.

[53]  A. Holbourn,et al.  The sounds from single motor units in a contracting muscle , 1948, The Journal of physiology.

[54]  K. Jørgensen,et al.  The effect of prolonged isometric contractions on muscle fluid balance , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[55]  L. Brown,et al.  The effect of velocity and gender on load range during knee extension and flexion exercise on an isokinetic device. , 1995, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[56]  Gisela Sjøgaard,et al.  Muscle blood flow during isometric activity and its relation to muscle fatigue , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[57]  Kenneth C. Mylrea,et al.  Investigation of Sounds Produced by Healthy and Diseased Human Muscular Contraction , 1986, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[58]  E. Kaplan.  Muscles Alive. Their Functions Revealed by Electromyography. J. V. Basmajian. Baltimore, The Williams and Wilkins Co., 1962. $8.50 , 1962 .

[59]  N Ishii,et al.  Stationarity and normality test for biomedical data. , 1977, Computer programs in biomedicine.

[60]  Katsumi Mita,et al.  Mechanomyogram and force relationship during voluntary isometric ramp contractions of the biceps brachii muscle , 2001, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[61]  Kyle T Ebersole,et al.  Power Output, Mechanomyographic, and Electromyographic Responses to Maximal, Concentric, Isokinetic Muscle Actions in Men and Women , 2002, Journal of strength and conditioning research.