1 Exercise 16A

Exercise 16A - Activity 5:

Electromyography in a
Human Subject Using iWorx
Part 1: Temporal and Multiple Motor Unit
Summation
Equipment Required
PC Computer
iWorx unit, and USB or serial cable
C-AAMI-504 EMG cable and electrode lead wires
FT-325 Hand Dynamometer
Alcohol swabs
Hints for Recording Good Data
During this experiment, the electromyogram (EMG) from
the subjects forearm will be recorded while the subject
is clenching his or her fist. To reduce the recording of
noise, it is important for the subject to remain still
(except for clenching). If the subject rests his or her
forearm on the tabletop during the recording, less noise
is recorded from other muscles in the subjects body.
Equipment Setup
1. Connect the iWorx unit to the computer. Turn on the iWorx
unit; then, turn on the computer.
2. The subject should remove all jewelry from their wrists.
3. Insert the connector on the hand dynamometer into the
DIN input of Channel 3 on the iWorx unit.
Figure 16A-1: The equipment used to monitor EMGs from a subject.
4. Record from the subjects most used (dominant) forearm.
Use an alcohol swab to clean and scrub three regions on the
inside of the subjects forearm for electrode attachment (Fig-
ure 16A-1 on page 1). One area is near the wrist, the second
is in the middle of the forearm, and the third area is about 2
inches below the elbow. Let the areas dry.
5. Remove the plastic disk from a disposable electrode and
apply it to one of the scrubbed areas. Repeat for the other two
areas.
6. Attach the black connector on the end of the gray EMG
cable to the isolated Channel 1 & 2 inputs of the iWorx unit
(Figure 16A-1 on page 1).
7. Attach three color-coded electrode cables to the ground
and Channel 1 inputs on the lead pedestal and snap the other
ends onto the disposable electrodes, so that:
the red +1 lead is attached to the electrode near the
elbow;
the black -1 lead is attached to the electrode in the middle
of the forearm;
the green C lead (the ground) is attached to the electrode
on the wrist.
8. Click the Windows Start menu, move the cursor to Pro-
grams and then to the iWorx folder and select LabScribe; or
click on the LabScribe icon on the Desktop.
9. When the program opens, select Load Group from the
Settings menu.
10.When the dialog box appears, select Marieb.iws. Click
Load.
11. Click on the Settings menu again and select the EMG16A
settings file.
12.After a short time, LabScribe will appear on the computer
screen as configured by the EMG16A settings.
Recording the Data
1. The subject should sit quietly with the forearm being stud-
ied resting on the table top. Explain the procedure to the sub-
ject. The subject will clench his or her fist around the hand
dynamometer four times, each time for two seconds followed
by two seconds of relaxation. Each clench should be stronger
than the previous one.
2. Click the Start button on the LabScribe Main window to
begin recording. The subject should clench the hand dyna-
mometer with progressively stronger force as directed by the
procedure outlined in the previous step. After the last two sec-
ond relaxation of the last clench cycle, click the Stop button.
3. Click the AutoScale buttons for the EMG (CH 1), EMG
Integral (CH 2), and Force (CH3) channels. The recording
should be similar to Figure 16A-2 on page 2.
4. Select Save As in the File menu, type a name for the file.
Choose a destination on the computer in which to save the file
(e.g. the My Documents folder). Click the Save button to save
the file (as an *.iwd file).
2 Exercise 16A
Figure 16A-2: Recording of the raw EMG (CH1), absolute integral of the
EMG (CH2), and the force (CH3) generated by successively stronger fist
clenches. The cursors are placed to measure the maximum force generated in
the last clench in the series.
Data Analysis
1. Adjust the time displayed on the Main window to display
the subjects four clenches on the screen (Figure 16A-2 on
page 2). Use the Display Time icons on the LabScribe toolbar
(Figure 16A-3 on page 2), or the Display Time box on the
Channels page of the Preferences dialogue window on the
Edit menu, to set the proper screen width.
Figure 16A-3: The LabScribe toolbar.
2. Click the 2-cursor icon on the toolbar. Place the two cur-
sors on either side of the four clench cycles displayed in the
Main window. Click the Analysis icon to send the data to the
Analysis window.
3. Select EMG and EMG Integral from the Display Chan-
nels menu, and Title, Max, Min, and Max-Min from the Table
Functions menu. Place the two cursors on the Analysis win-
dow on either side of the first raw EMG cluster. Select EMG on
the Value from Ch pull-down menu. The screen displayed
should look like Figure 16A-4 on page 2. Record the values for
the maximum peak amplitude (Max), minimum peak amplitude
(Min), and peak to peak difference (Max-Min) on the first EMG
cluster on Table 16A-1 on page 2. Do not move the cursors
from their positions around the first EMG cluster.
4. Select EMG Integral on the Value from Ch pull-down
menu, and Title and Area from the Table Functions menu.
The Area function calculates the area under the peaks on the
EMG Integral, a value which is directly proportional to the total
intensity of the EMG signals in the cluster. Record the value
for Area on Table 16A-1 on page 2.
5. Move the cursors on the Analysis window around the sec-
ond EMG cluster and repeat the measurements performed in
Steps 19 and 20 on this EMG cluster and its integral.
6. Repeat Steps 3, 4, and 5 for two other EMG clusters.
Figure 16A-4: The EMG and EMG Integral displayed in the Analysis
window. The cursors are placed on the margins of the second cluster of EMG
signals. The area of the EMG Integral is taken from the region between the
cursors on the second channel.
Questions
Examine the measurements listed in Table 16A-1 on
page 2.
1. Does the maximum EMG amplitude increase as the force
of the subjects clench increases?
2. Does the peak to peak EMG amplitude increase as the
force of the subjects clench increases?
Table 16A-1: EMG and EMG Integral Measurements for
Successively Stronger Fist Clenches
EMG
Maximum
Amplitude
(V)
EMG
Minimum
Amplitude
(V)
Peak to
Peak EMG
Amplitude
(V)
Area under
EMG
Integral
(mV.s)
Clench 1
Clench 2
Clench 3
Clench 4
3 Exercise 16A
3. Does the area of the EMG Integral increase as the force of
the subjects clench increases?
4. How do the maximum EMG amplitude, the peak to peak
EMG amplitude, and the area of the EMG integral relate to the
number of motor units in the forearm that are activated during
fist clenching?
Part 2: Force Measurement and Fatigue
Equipment Required
Same as Part 1.
Equipment Setup
Same as Part 1.
Calibrating the Hand Dynamometer
1. Gather a stack of 5 or 6 textbooks.
2. Lay the hand dynamometer down on the bench top. Click
the Start button on the LabScribe Main window and record for
10 seconds.
3. Continue to record as you place the stack of text books on
the bulb of the hand dynamometer. Once the recording is sta-
bile for 10 seconds, click the Stop button.
4. Weight the stack of books on a scale.
5. Use the Display Time icons to adjust the time displayed on
the Main window. Display the time before and after the stack
of books was placed on the bulb of the hand dynamometer on
one screen.
6. Click the 2-cursor icon on the toolbar. Place a cursor on
the section of the recording before the stack of textbooks was
placed on the bulb. Place the other cursor on the section after
the textbooks were placed on the bulb.
7. Right-click on the data display area of the Force (CH3)
channel. Select Units from the Right-Click menu. Type zero
(0) in the box next to the voltage value of the first cursor; type
the weight of the stack of textbooks (in kg) in the box next to
the voltage value of the second cursor. Type kg in the Name
box. Click the OK button.
Recording Incremental Clench Force and Fatigue
from the Dominant Forearm
1. Make sure the electrodes are firmly attached to the sub-
jects dominant forearm. The subject should sit quietly with his
or her forearm on the table top. Explain the procedure to the
subject. The subject will clench his or her fist around the hand
dynamometer four times, each time for two seconds followed
by two seconds of relaxation. Each clench should be stronger
than the previous one. Following the fourth clench, the subject
will relax the forearm muscles for two seconds and then
clench the hand dynamometer as tight and as long as possible
in an attempt to fatigue the muscles of the forearm. When the
subjects clench force falls below 50% of the maximum clench
force, the recording can be halted.
2. Click the Start button on the LabScribe Main window to
begin recording. The subject should clench the hand dyna-
mometer with progressively stronger force as directed by the
procedure outlined in the previous step. When the subject has
clenched the hand dynamometer with maximum force during
the fatigue section of this exercise, click the AutoScale button
for the Force (CH3) channel. Continue to record the fatigue of
the subjects forearm until the force drops below 50% of the
maximum. At that time, click the Stop button.
3. Click the AutoScale buttons for the EMG (CH 1), EMG
Integral (CH 2), and Force (CH3) channels. Adjust the screen
time of the Main window to display the subjects four clenches
and fatigue on the same screen (Figure 16A-5 on page 3).
Figure 16A-5: Recording of the EMG (CH1), EMG Integral (CH2), and
clench force (CH3) from the muscles of the subjects dominant foreman. After
the fourth fist clench, the subject attempted to told the hand dynamometer
with maximum effort for an extended period of time, The drop in force is
caused by fatigue.
4. Select Save in the File menu to add this data to the previ-
ously saved data file.
5. Remove the electrodes from the subjects dominant fore-
arm.
4 Exercise 16A
6. To record from the non-dominant forearm of the subject,
proceed to the next section of the experiment. If you have
completed the experiment with this exercise, proceed to the
Data Analysis section.
Recording Incremental Clench Force and Fatigue
from the Non-Dominant Forearm
1. Setup up the equipment and electrodes for recording from
the subjects non-dominant forearm as described in the
Equipment Setup section of Part 1.
2. The subject should sit quietly with his or her forearm on the
table top. The experimental procedure is the same as the one
used testing increments of force and fatigue in the subjects
dominant forearm. Again, when the subjects clench force falls
below 50% of the maximum value recorded during the fatigue
section of this activity, halt the recording.
3. Click the Start button on the LabScribe Main window to
begin recording. The subject should clench the hand dyna-
mometer with progressively stronger force as directed in the
previously used procedure. When the subject has clenched
the hand dynamometer with maximum force during the fatigue
section of this exercise, click the AutoScale button for the
Force (CH3) channel. Continue to record the fatigue of the
subjects forearm until the force drops below 50% of the maxi-
mum. At that time, click the Stop button.
4. Click the AutoScale buttons for the EMG (CH 1), EMG
Integral (CH 2), and Force (CH3) channels. Adjust the screen
time of the Main window to display the subjects four clenches
and fatigue on the same screen. The recording should be sim-
ilar to Figure 16A-5 on page 3.
5. Select Save in the File menu to add this data to the previ-
ously saved data file.
6. Remove the electrodes from the subjects non-dominant
forearm.
7. Proceed to the Data Analysis section.
Data Analysis of Incremental Clench Force from the
Dominant Forearm
1. Find the section of data recorded from the subjects domi-
nant forearm. Adjust the time displayed on the Main window to
display the subjects four incremental clenches and fatigue (to
50% of maximum) on a single screen (Figure 16A-5 on page
3). Use the Display Time icons on the LabScribe toolbar (Fig-
ure 16A-3 on page 2), or the Display Time box on the Chan-
nels page of the Preferences dialogue window on the Edit
menu, to set the proper screen width.
2. Click the 2-cursor icon on the toolbar. Place the two cur-
sors on either side of the four clench cycles displayed in the
Main window. Click the Analysis icon to send the data to the
Analysis window (Figure 16A-6 on page 4).
3. Select EMG, EMG Integral, and Force from the Display
Channels menu, and Title and Max-Min from the Table
Functions menu. Place the two cursors on the Analysis win-
dow on either side of the first raw EMG cluster. Select EMG on
the Value from Ch pull-down menu. Record the value for the
peak to peak difference (Max-Min) of the first EMG cluster on
Table 16A-1 on page 2. Do not move the cursors from their
positions around the first EMG cluster.

Figure 16A-6: Recording of the EMG (CH1), EMG Integral (CH2), and
clench force (CH3) from the muscles of the subjects dominant foreman. The
cursors are placed on the Force (CH3) channel so that the average
amplitude on the plateau can be measured.
4. Select EMG Integral on the Value from Ch pull-down
menu, and Title and Area from the Table Functions menu.
The Area function calculates the area under the peaks on the
EMG Integral, a value which is directly proportional to the total
intensity of the EMG signals in the cluster. Record the value
for Area on Table 16A-2 on page 4.
5. Move the cursors on the Analysis window around the sec-
ond EMG cluster and repeat the measurements performed in
Steps 3 and 4 on this EMG cluster and its integral.
6. Repeat Steps 3, 4, and 5 for the two other EMG clusters.
7. Select Force on the Value from Ch pull-down menu, and
Title and Mean from the Table Functions menu. The Mean
function calculates the average maximum force during the
each fist clench taken from the plateau of the force recording.
Place the two cursors on the Analysis window at either end of
the force plateau on the Force channel (CH3) as indicated in
Table 16A-2: Clench Force in Relation to EMG Intensity in
the Subjects Dominant Forearm.
Mean Force at
Plateau (kg)
Peak to Peak EMG
Amplitude (V)
Area under EMG
Integral (mV.s)
Clench 1
Clench 2
Clench 3
Clench 4
5 Exercise 16A
Figure 16A-6 on page 4. Record the value for the average
maximum amplitude (Mean) of the first fist clench on Table
16A-2 on page 4.
8. Move the cursors on the Analysis window to either end of
the force plateau for the second fist clench and repeat the
measurements performed in Step 7 for this fist clench.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 for the two other fist clenches.
Data Analysis of Muscle Fatigue from the Dominant
Forearm
1. Return to the Main window by clicking its icon on the Lab-
Scribe toolbar.
2. Adjust the screen time of the Main window to display the
complete record of this experiment on the same screen.
3. Click the 2-cursor icon on the LabScribe toolbar (Figure
16A-3 on page 2). Place one cursor on the relaxation period
that precedes the fatigue exercise. Place the second cursor to
the right of the time when the subject stopped gripping the
hand dynamometer. Click the Analysis icon on the toolbar to
send the data to the Analysis window (Figure 16A-7 on page
5).
Figure 16A-7: Recording of declining muscle force during fatigue displayed
in the Analysis window.
4. Select Force from the Display Channels menu, and Title,
V2-V1, and T2-T1 from the Table Functions menu. Place one
cursor on the relaxation period before the maximum contrac-
tion and the second cursor on the peak of the muscle contrac-
tion. The difference in amplitude (V2-V1) is the maximum
clench force of the subject, which should be recorded in the
Journal.
5. Data can be entered into the Journal by either typing the
titles and values directly or by using the Right-Click menu.
Place the cursors to take measurements; then, select Add
Title to Journal or Add Data to Journal from the Right-Click
menu to add the measurements to the Journal.
6. Divide the maximum clench force by 2. Enter this value in
the Journal as the half-maximum clench force.
7. Determine the time it takes the subjects forearm to fatigue
to half its strength.
Put one cursor on the peak of the muscle contraction.
Move the other cursor to the right of the peak until the value
for V2-V1 in the table at the top of the Analysis window is
equal to the half-maximum clench force. Ignore the negative
sign in front of the value.
The value for T2-T1 when the cursors are in these two posi-
tions is the time it takes the subjects forearm muscles to
fatigue to half of their strength. Enter this value in the Jour-
nal as the time to the half-maximum clench force.
8. Measure the circumference of the subjects dominant fore-
arm at its greatest girth with a metric tape measure.
Data Analysis of Incremental Clench Force from the
Non-Dominant Forearm
Repeat the measurement techniques used to determine
the incremental clench forces of the subjects dominant
forearm on the subjects non-dominant forearm. Enter
the measurements for each clench in this exercise on
Table 16A-4 on page 5.
Data Analysis of Muscle Fatigue from the Non-Dom-
inant Forearm
Repeat the measurement techniques used to determine
the time for the subjects dominant forearm to fatigue to
half strength on the subjects non-dominant forearm.
Enter the measurements for this fatigue exercise on
Table 16A-5 on page 5.
Table 16A-3:Dominant Forearm Fatigue Measurement
Forearm
Diameter
(cm)
Maximum Clench
Force (kg)
50% of Maximum
Clench Force (kg)
Time to Fatigue to
Half-Strength
(secs)
Table 16A-4: Clench Force in Relation to EMG Intensity in
the Subjects Non-Dominant Forearm.
Mean Force at
Plateau (kg)
Peak to Peak EMG
Amplitude (V)
Area under EMG
Integral (mV.s)
Clench 1
Clench 2
Clench 3
Clench 4
Table 16A-5: NonDominant Forearm Fatigue Measurement
Forearm
Diameter
(cm)
Maximum Clench
Force (kg)
50% of Maximum
Clench Force (kg)
Time to Fatigue to
Half-Strength
(secs)
6 Exercise 16A
Questions
1. Is there a relationship between the peak to peak EMG
amplitude and average plateau force of the fist clenches? If
there is, what is it?
2. Is there a relationship between the area of the EMG inte-
gral and average plateau force of the fist clenches? If there is,
what is it?
3. Is there a difference in the maximum forces generated by
the dominant and the non dominant forearms? If there is, how
much is it? Calculate the percent difference between the
forces, using the dominant arm as the denominator.
4. Is there a difference between the circumference of the
dominant and non-dominant forearms? If there is, how much
is it? Calculate the percent difference between the circumfer-
ences?
5. Is there a relationship between the circumference of the
forearm and the maximum force developed? If there is, what is
it?
6. If there is a difference in the circumference of the forearms
is it caused by a difference in the number of muscle fibers in
the forearm or the diameter of each muscle fiber in the fore-
arm? Explain.
7. How does the time to fatigue to half-strength in the domi-
nant forearm compare to the same parameter for the non-
dominant forearm?