Muscle Tension Lab Report
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to use the muscle tension and the electrical activity in the dominant and non-dominant forearm muscle, the flexor digitorum superficialis, to analyze the determinants of muscle tension and fatigue, and the reasons as to why differences may occur between the dominant and non-dominant arm. The generation of tension in a muscle is determined by the major type of motor unit being recruited, as well as the rate in which action potentials are being fired. A subject performed two tests, one to display the correlation between tension and electrical activity in the muscle, in which a sequence of four increasing-strength grips were performed, and the second test studied the effects of fatigue in which a continuous …show more content…
In the fatigue test, the tension had decreased by 72%, the EMG amplitude had declined by 133.3%, and the frequency declined by 89% in the time to half maximum tension. In comparison of the dominant and the non-dominant forearm, the dominant arm demonstrated a higher fatigue resistance and higher tension and EMG activity. Experimental data suggested a correlation between how muscle tension corresponds proportionally to the EMG activity positively, as well as the proportional correlation between the negative effects of fatigue on tension and EMG activity.
Introduction
Through this experiment, muscle tension was measured by analyzing the electrical activity in both the dominant and non-dominant forearm muscle, the flexor digitorum superficialis, during an …show more content…
Research by Gelhsen, Grigsby, and Winant (1984) suggests that multiple sclerosis patients are able to overcome some neuromuscular deficits through physical activity. Multiple sclerosis causes neuropathological influences not only on skeletal muscle but also on physiological alteration, such as the impact seen on the EMG-force relations. As a result of multiple sclerosis, the inability to produce peak torque at higher velocities may be due to the disuse of the high threshold motor units that produce a fast twitch, causing the overuse of low threshold motor units to occur which produces a slow twitch response in muscle fibers. These ultimately result in atrophy of the muscles and a compromise of their strength, fatigue resistance, and
The purpose of this experiment was to use the muscle tension and the electrical activity in the dominant and non-dominant forearm muscle, the flexor digitorum superficialis, to analyze the determinants of muscle tension and fatigue, and the reasons as to why differences may occur between the dominant and non-dominant arm. The generation of tension in a muscle is determined by the major type of motor unit being recruited, as well as the rate in which action potentials are being fired. A subject performed two tests, one to display the correlation between tension and electrical activity in the muscle, in which a sequence of four increasing-strength grips were performed, and the second test studied the effects of fatigue in which a continuous …show more content…
In the fatigue test, the tension had decreased by 72%, the EMG amplitude had declined by 133.3%, and the frequency declined by 89% in the time to half maximum tension. In comparison of the dominant and the non-dominant forearm, the dominant arm demonstrated a higher fatigue resistance and higher tension and EMG activity. Experimental data suggested a correlation between how muscle tension corresponds proportionally to the EMG activity positively, as well as the proportional correlation between the negative effects of fatigue on tension and EMG activity.
Introduction
Through this experiment, muscle tension was measured by analyzing the electrical activity in both the dominant and non-dominant forearm muscle, the flexor digitorum superficialis, during an …show more content…
Research by Gelhsen, Grigsby, and Winant (1984) suggests that multiple sclerosis patients are able to overcome some neuromuscular deficits through physical activity. Multiple sclerosis causes neuropathological influences not only on skeletal muscle but also on physiological alteration, such as the impact seen on the EMG-force relations. As a result of multiple sclerosis, the inability to produce peak torque at higher velocities may be due to the disuse of the high threshold motor units that produce a fast twitch, causing the overuse of low threshold motor units to occur which produces a slow twitch response in muscle fibers. These ultimately result in atrophy of the muscles and a compromise of their strength, fatigue resistance, and