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Sjgaard, Gisela, Bente R. Jensen, Alan R. Hargens, and Karen recently, a study using an animal muscle model allowing for
Sgaard. Intramuscular pressure and EMG relate during static con- direct muscle force measurements simultaneous with IMP
tractions but dissociate with movement and fatigue. J Appl Physiol 96: recordings during passive and active isometric force develop-
15221529, 2004. First published December 5, 2003; 10.1152/ ment confirmed a positive relationship between these variables
Address for reprint requests and other correspondence: G. Sjgaard, Dept. of The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment
Physiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Lers Parkalle 105, of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement
DK-2100 Copenhagen , Denmark (E-mail: gs@ami.dk). in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.
1522 8750-7587/04 $5.00 Copyright 2004 the American Physiological Society http://www.jap.org
IMP-TO-EMG RATIO DEPENDS ON CONTRACTION MODE 1523
amplitude was kept constant, despite a decreasing external EMG increase with time during a constant static contraction
force development. However, an increased IMP during pro- sustained for a prolonged period of time. Additionally, with
longed constant-force development could not be confirmed by inclusion of EMG from two more shoulder muscles, the aim
others (31, 33). Moreover, differential responses were reported was to study recovery as well as shoulder muscle load sharing
in IMP and EMG during low- vs. high-level static contractions between rotator cuff muscles (e.g., supraspinatus muscle) and
to fatigue in terms of IMP increasing during 25% MVC, but other shoulder girdle stabilizers (e.g., trapezius muscle de-
not during 70% MVC, despite increases in EMG amplitude scending part) relative to shoulder joint prime movers (e.g.,
throughout both contraction levels (5). One possible explana- deltoideus muscle medial part), during brief static, dynamic,
tion of these different findings is that the physiological mech- and sustained static contractions. The underlying hypothesis
anisms for increases in EMG and IMP have no common route. regarding load sharing was that stabilizers were relatively more
Therefore, differences in contraction force level may account active during static and prime movers during dynamic contrac-
for different responses, such that the increase in IMP during tions.
muscle contraction level is abolished at high (short-term, due
to exhaustion) as well as at very low contraction forces. METHODS
Additionally, local physiological and anatomic factors may
affect the relation between EMG amplitude and IMP during Six healthy women with a mean (range) age of 31 (2537) yr, body
weight of 66 (6076) kg, and height of 1.75 (1.561.80) m volun-
prolonged contractions, and results may, therefore, depend on teered in this study after giving their informed, written consent. None
the anatomic region and/or the species investigated. Due to the of the subjects had a medical history of shoulder or neck problems.
complex anatomy of the shoulder, and corresponding complex
traction and subsequent recovery period, HR, BP, and rating of EMG
perceived exertion (RPE) were recorded.
Intramuscular EMG was recorded from bipolar Teflon-coated steel
Force and Torque Recordings wire electrodes with a diameter of 0.05 mm inserted into the central
part of the right supraspinatus muscle through a needle. Surface EMG
MVC was measured by using a strain-gauge-based, three-dimen- from the middle part of the right deltoideus muscle and the descending
sional force transducer (AMTI-MC3-6-1000) mounted with a handle part of the right trapezius muscle were recorded by using bipolar
that the hand gripped onto. A bilateral setup was used, but only force surface electrodes (Medicotest, N-10-A) placed on the skin above the
exerted by the right hand was measured. Force data were sampled at muscles, with a distance of 2 cm between the recording areas. Possible
128 Hz, and root-mean-square (RMS) values were calculated for cross talk was demonstrated to be negligible by having the subject
0.26-s time periods. The highest 1-s value (average of 4 time periods) perform a few practical tests while recording the EMG channels. A
was considered to represent MVC. During the prolonged abduction commercially available EMG recording system was used (IC-600,
session, left and right abduction force were measured with strain- Medinik, Orbyhus, Sweden). Skin surface was carefully cleaned with
gauge-based transducers built into two force bars that were placed to alcohol and shaved to decrease skin resistance. The quality of the raw
touch the dorsal side of the hands, when the subjects had attained the EMG signals was controlled continuously on oscilloscopes and sam-
correct 30 abduction position. The orientation of left and right pled online at 1,024 Hz. The same calculation periods were applied
abduction forces was in the frontal plane and in the direction perpen- for the three channels of EMG as for the IMP, and all EMG data were
dicular to the arm. To help the subjects maintain the position, a small, presented as RMS amplitude in percent maximum EMG (EMGmax).
constant force output of 0.4 N was requested, and visual feedback was
given in front of the subjects, from both left and right transducers. To HR, BP, and RPE
convert hand force into shoulder torque, the distance from the center
angle was 60 relative to skin surface, resulting in a vertical natus muscle decreased with shortening velocity and was signif-
depth of 33 mm. Accounting for the location of the sensor
individual or local decreases in IMP were seen in the vastus time. This concept should be considered in future improve-
lateralis muscle, although this muscle is considered to be ments of shoulder function models.
located in a more compliant surrounding than supraspinatus In conclusion, IMP and EMG amplitudes increased in pro-
muscle, and, despite an even lower contraction level of only portion in supraspinatus muscle with acute increased shoulder
5%, MVC of the knee extensors was sustained (33). Further- joint abduction torque, but during dynamic contraction a dis-
more, we have measured IMP throughout a wide range of sociation of this relationship occurred because only the EMG
recording depths, indicating that IMP in supraspinatus muscle increase was velocity dependent. Furthermore, during an
was rather homogeneous (16). One reason for the present 10% MVC static contraction sustained for 30 min, EMG
finding may then be changed load sharing between abductor increased to about twice its amplitude, whereas IMP remained
muscles, as discussed below. constant or even decreased in some subjects. With recovery, a
The obvious physiological advantage of a stable or even change occurred in the IMP-EMG relationship during the test
decreased IMP over time is the preservation of muscle blood contractions due to the slow recovery of the EMG amplitude.
flow. According to a simple model, blood flow is proportional Finally, EMG amplitudes indicated the load sharing between
to the pressure head that is considered to correspond to the different functional shoulder muscles not to be different during
difference between arterial BP and IMP (32). Increases in IMP brief static and dynamic contractions, but, in combination with
increase BP (10), but, in the present study, BP did increase by IMP measures, a change in load sharing among muscles was
25 mmHg, despite unchanged, or even decreased, IMP. This indicated during sustained fatiguing static contraction.
response, in combination with a probable decrease of vascular
resistance (metabolically induced), likely gradually increased