Use of electromyography to assess pain in the upper trapezius and lower back muscles within a fatigue protocol

Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy

Ct Candotti²  Jf Loss¹  M La Torre¹  Mo Melo¹  Ld Araújo¹  Vv Marcks¹ 

[1] ,Universidade do Vale do Rio dos SinosSão Leopoldo RS ,Brazil

关键词: electromyography;    fatigue;    pain;    upper trapezius muscle;    lower back muscles;    eletromiografia;    fadiga;    dor;    trapézio superior;    músculos lombares;   

DOI  :  10.1590/S1413-35552009005000018

来源: SciELO

【 摘 要 】

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether muscle fatigue indices obtained using surface electromyography and calculated in the time and frequency domains would be capable of objectively diagnosing pain and discriminating between subjects with and without pain in the upper trapezius muscle and the lower back muscles. METHODS: Forty-seven individuals underwent a muscle fatigue test for thirty-five seconds at 80% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), while EMG and muscle force data were recorded. The RMS value and the median frequency (MF) were calculated within consecutive one-second windows. Linear regression analysis was used to obtain the slope coefficients and the respective y-axis intercept values, which were considered to be localized muscle fatigue indices. RESULTS: In the frequency domain, the slope coefficients were negative for both muscles, while in the time domain, the coefficient for the upper trapezius was positive and the coefficient for the lower back muscles was negative (p<0.01). Significant differences were also found in the frequency domain between subjects with and without pain in the upper trapezius (p<0.01). The subjects with pain had significantly lower force values than the subjects without pain (p<0.05), in both the upper trapezius and the lower back muscles. CONCLUSION: The force values associated with the fatigue indices (MF slope and y-axis intercept) were able to predict the presence of pain in the upper trapezius (p<0.05), but not in the lower back muscles.

【 授权许可】

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