Data acquired by wearable sensors for the evaluation of the flexion-relaxation phenomenon.

Abstract

The relationship between flexibility and the pattern formed by the surface electromyography activity of the back muscles while performing a dynamic trunk flexion-extension task is not yet thoroughly understood, although many previous studies have adopted it as their focus in the literature. Additionally, several studies have proposed technologies and algorithms to analyse the flexion-relaxation phenomenon, which is defined by myoelectric silence that occurs when the subject's torso exceeds a certain flexion angle. Before participating in the flexion-relaxation test, subjects involved in the data collection underwent medical examinations, in which their physical condition, perceived pain, and level of disability were reported in their anamnesis. During the flexion-relaxation test, which was conducted with 25 subjects with and without low back pain, subjects wore four surface electromyography electrodes positioned over the back muscles, as well as an inertial sensor to estimate trunk inclination.