Concentric needle electrode duration measurement and uptake area.

Abstract

Motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) were recorded with a standard concentric needle electrode inserted into the right biceps brachii muscle with different angular orientations of the beveled recording surface to the muscle fibers. Contrary to the predictions from computer simulations, the MUAP duration remained constant during needle rotation. This finding is used to reexamine the previous assumptions regarding the concentric needle's spatial uptake recording territory and the implications with respect to MUAP duration measurements.