Abstract
This tutorial is aimed to non-engineers using, or planning to use, surface electromyography (sEMG) as an assessment tool in the prevention, monitoring and rehabilitation fields. Its first purpose is to address the issues related to the origin and nature of the signal and to its detection (electrode size, distance, location) by one-dimensional (bipolar and linear arrays) and two-dimensional (grids) electrode systems while avoiding advanced mathematical, physical or physiological issues. Its second purpose is to outline best practices and provide general guidelines for proper signal detection. Issues related to the electrode-skin interface, signal conditioning and interpretation will be discussed in subsequent tutorials.
Highlights
In the last decades, the applications of surface EMG have grown in the traditional fields as well as in novel ones while the focus expanded from neurophysiological research to neurorehabilitation, preventive medicine, ergonomics, and assessment of interventions
When surface EMG (sEMG) is detected for the purpose of visualization of muscle activity some parameters may be less critical while they are critical in case of sEMG processing for monitoring myoelectric manifestations of muscle fatigue, studying single motor unit behavior, image compartmentalization, or other analysis
If the motor unit action potentials (MUAP) shapes are modified by the detection system, the features of the interference pattern observed with one electrode pair are modified as well (Fig. 12)
Summary
The applications of surface EMG (sEMG) have grown in the traditional fields (sport, movement and gait analysis) as well as in novel ones (obstetrics, occupational and art medicine, aging, veterinary medicine, rehabilitation and gaming) while the focus expanded from neurophysiological research to neurorehabilitation, preventive medicine, ergonomics, and assessment of interventions. With respect to these bioelectric signals, sEMG has, at this time, limited diagnostic power but is a powerful tool for prevention, assessment and evaluation of effectiveness of treatments and interventions as described in chapters 12–20 of (Merletti and Farina, 2016) and website https:// www.robertomerletti.it This tutorial is aimed to clinical scientists and rehabilitation operators and has the objective of reducing the gap between basic sEMG technology and its clinical application by providing a technical overview of fundamental sEMG concepts, methods and recommendations for best practices, without addressing advanced mathematical, physical or physiological issues. The EMG as a signal distribution in space, which is evolving in time: The analog EMG “movie”
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
