Applying EMG spike and peak counting for a real-time muscle fatigue monitoring system

This paper introduces an electromyography (EMG) signal spike-counter system for quantification of muscle fatigue. Through a study of fatiguing leg extension of the rectus femoris (RF) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles we show that spike and peak counting in EMG data is significantly correlated (>;0.85-R-squared value) with the traditional median frequency (MDF) quantifier for muscle fatigue. This allows for a more computationally efficient and simpler approach using spike counting for an implementation of a real-time muscle fatigue monitoring system.

[1]  Timothy G. Constandinou,et al.  A sub-1µW neural spike-peak detection and spike-count rate encoding circuit , 2011, 2011 IEEE Biomedical Circuits and Systems Conference (BioCAS).

[2]  Dejan B. Popovic,et al.  An EMG system for studying motor control strategies and fatigue , 2010, 10th Symposium on Neural Network Applications in Electrical Engineering.

[3]  Paolo Bonato,et al.  Time-frequency parameters of the surface myoelectric signal for assessing muscle fatigue during cyclic dynamic contractions , 2001, IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.

[4]  Gabrielle Todd,et al.  EVIDENCE FOR A SUPRASPINAL CONTRIBUTION TO HUMAN MUSCLE FATIGUE , 2006, Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology.

[5]  S M McGill,et al.  The importance of normalization in the interpretation of surface electromyography: a proof of principle. , 1999, Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics.