Wavelet coherence as a measure of trunk stabilizer muscle activation in wheelchair fencers

Monika Błaszczyszyn,Zbigniew Borysiuk,Katarzyna Piechota,Dariusz Zmarzły,Krzysztof Kręcisz

doi:10.1186/s13102-021-00369-y

Monika Błaszczyszyn, Zbigniew Borysiuk + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-021-00369-y

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Abstract

BackgroundIntermuscular synchronization constitutes one of the key aspects of effective sport performance and activities of daily living. The aim of the study was to assess the synchronization of trunk stabilizer muscles in wheelchair fencers with the use of wavelet analysis.MethodsIntermuscular synchronization and antagonistic EMG–EMG coherence were evaluated in the pairs of the right and the left latissimus dorsi/external oblique abdominal (LD/EOA) muscles. The study group consisted of 16 wheelchair fencers, members of the Polish Paralympic Team, divided into two categories of disability (A and B). Data analysis was carried out in three stages: (1) muscle activation recording using sEMG; (2) wavelet coherence analysis; and (3) coherence density analysis.ResultsIn the Paralympic wheelchair fencers, regardless of their disability category, the muscles were activated at low frequency levels: 8–20 Hz for category A fencers, and 5–15 Hz for category B fencers.ConclusionsThe results demonstrated a clear activity of the trunk muscles in the wheelchair fencers, including those with spinal cord injury, which can be explained as an outcome of their intense training. EMG signal processing application have great potential for performance improvement and diagnosis of wheelchair athletes.

Highlights

Intermuscular synchronization constitutes one of the key aspects of effective sport performance and activities of daily living
The diagram presents the waveform with the raw EMG signal for the LD LT and EOA LT muscles in three lunge attacks performed to a visual stimulus by two selected fencers: category A fencer (Fig. 1a) and category B fencer (Fig. 1b)
Coherence clearly decreases with increasing frequency and for the B2 bands, and it decreases from 0.32 (B2) to 0.27 for (B3)

Summary

Introduction

Intermuscular synchronization constitutes one of the key aspects of effective sport performance and activities of daily living. Wheelchair athletes make extensive use of arm and trunk movements which alter their center of mass and activate compensatory responses to maintain stability in the sitting position. This is a conformation that practicing adapted sports can affect trunk muscle activation [1]. Wheelchair users always require properly coordinated movements of the upper limbs and the trunk Such motor behavior significantly changes their center of mass and requires adaptive reactions in order to maintain a stable sitting posture [2,3,4]. There has been no evidence of significant differences in upper body muscle activity in wheelchair users with various neurological conditions This is of particular importance for the qualification of people with disabilities in sport competitions

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