Influence of heat on fatigue and electromyographic activity of the biceps brachii muscle.

Electromyography enables registering muscle activity during contraction and can identify muscle fatigue. In the present study, 30 volunteers between 18 and 30 years of age were submitted to an exertion 1 min of maximal voluntary isometric contraction. The electromyographic signal of the biceps brachii muscle and the strength of the flexor muscles of the elbow were determined before and after the administration of microwave diathermy in order to analyze the influence of heat over the strength of the elbow flexor muscles and fatigue of the biceps brachii. The results demonstrate that the strength of the elbow flexor muscles diminished significantly following the application of heat (p<0.05). Heat also led to a significant reduction in the electrical activity of the muscle studied. The present study demonstrates that microwave diathermy on the biceps brachii muscle reduces the flexion strength of the elbow as well as signs of muscle fatigue in the biceps.

[1]  R. Jennane,et al.  An EMG fractal indicator having different sensitivities to changes in force and muscle fatigue during voluntary static muscle contractions. , 2005, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[2]  Análise da fadiga muscular pela amplitude do sinal eletromiográfico , 2008 .

[3]  Dario Farina,et al.  Effect of temperature on spike-triggered average torque and electrophysiological properties of low-threshold motor units. , 2005, Journal of applied physiology.

[4]  James E. Carpenter,et al.  An EMG-driven model of the upper extremity and estimation of long head biceps force , 2005, Comput. Biol. Medicine.

[5]  Carlo J. De Luca,et al.  The Use of Surface Electromyography in Biomechanics , 1997 .

[6]  D. Mayor.  Book Review: Electrotherapy: Evidence-Based Practice (12Th Edition) , 2009 .

[7]  E. Delagi,et al.  Anatomic guide for the electromyographer--the limbs , 1980 .

[8]  Michael L Madigan,et al.  A muscle temperature compensation technique for EMG fatigue measures. , 2002, Medicine and science in sports and exercise.

[9]  F Felici,et al.  Amplitude and spectral characteristics of biceps Brachii sEMG depend upon speed of isometric force generation. , 2003, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[10]  T. Fujiwara,et al.  Temperature change in human muscle during and after pulsed short-wave diathermy. , 1999, The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy.

[11]  K. Lewit,et al.  Surface electromyography of abdominal and back muscles in patients with active scars. , 2009, Journal of bodywork and movement therapies.

[12]  R. Enoka,et al.  Activation among the elbow flexor muscles differs when maintaining arm position during a fatiguing contraction. , 2003, Journal of applied physiology.

[13]  M. Muthalib,et al.  Attenuation of muscle damage by preconditioning with muscle hyperthermia 1-day prior to eccentric exercise , 2006, European Journal of Applied Physiology.

[14]  H. Naito,et al.  Effect of heat preconditioning by microwave hyperthermia on human skeletal muscle after eccentric exercise. , 2008, Journal of sports science & medicine.

[15]  T. Watson.  Electrotherapy Evidence Based Practice , 2008 .

[16]  J. Cramer,et al.  Effect of diathermy on muscle temperature, electromyography, and mechanomyography , 2008, Muscle & nerve.

[17]  Sheila Kitchen,et al.  Electrotherapy: Evidence-Based Practice , 2001 .

[18]  A. Plamondon,et al.  Biomechanical assessment of gloves. A study of the sensitivity and reliability of electromyographic parameters used to measure the activation and fatigue of different forearm muscles , 2004 .

[19]  Hannu Rintamäki,et al.  Combined effect of repetitive work and cold on muscle function and fatigue. , 2002, Journal of applied physiology.

[20]  T. Moritani,et al.  1998 ISEK Congress Keynote Lecture: The use of electromyography in applied physiology. International Society of Electrophysiology and Kinesiology. , 1998, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[21]  G. C. Goats.  Microwave diathermy. , 1990, British journal of sports medicine.

[22]  Mauro Gonçalves,et al.  EMG amplitude and frequency parameters of muscular activity: effect of resistance training based on electromyographic fatigue threshold. , 2009, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[23]  L. Thompson,et al.  Effects of age and training on skeletal muscle physiology and performance. , 1994, Physical therapy.

[24]  J. Karlsson,et al.  An estimation of the influence of force decrease on the mean power spectral frequency shift of the EMG during repetitive maximum dynamic knee extensions. , 2003, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[25]  François Hug,et al.  Consequences of prolonged total body immersion in cold water on muscle performance and EMG activity , 2006, Pflügers Archiv.

[26]  M. Gonçalves,et al.  COMPARAÇÃO ENTRE PROTOCOLOS DE EXAUSTÃO E DE 30 SEGUNDOS UTILIZADOS NA AVALIAÇÃO DA FADIGA ELETROMIOGRÁFICA DOS MÚSCULOS ERETORES DA ESPINHA , 2005 .

[27]  D. Draper,et al.  Heat distribution in the lower leg from pulsed short-wave diathermy and ultrasound treatments. , 2000, Journal of athletic training.

[28]  S. Kumar.  LOCALIZED MUSCLE FATIGUE: REVIEW OF THREE EXPERIMENTS , 2006 .

[29]  T. Watson.  Current concepts in electrotherapy , 2002, Haemophilia : the official journal of the World Federation of Hemophilia.

[30]  W. Gonyea,et al.  Effects of resistance training on elbow flexors of highly competitive bodybuilders. , 1992, Journal of applied physiology.

[31]  M. Coelho,et al.  CRIOTERAPIA NO TORNOZELO E ATIVIDADE ELETROMIOGRÁFICA DO TIBIAL ANTERIOR E FIBULAR DURANTE APOIO UNIPODÁLICO NO BALANCINHO , 2008 .

[32]  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.

[33]  A. Spaepen,et al.  Muscle fatigue of the elbow flexor muscles during two intermittent exercise protocols with equal mean muscle loading. , 2004, Clinical biomechanics.

[34]  M. McHugh,et al.  Electromyographic Predictors of Residual Quadriceps Muscle Weakness after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction * , 2002, The American journal of sports medicine.

[35]  V. H. Dezan,et al.  Bases metabólicas da fadiga muscular aguda , 2008 .