Change in EMG with skin friction at different frequencies during elbow flexion

Abstract

Modulation of muscle activation in superficial and deeper regions may be induced by tactile stimulation. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in muscle activation with skin friction. Subjects performed an isometric elbow flexion at 30% maximal voluntary cotraction (MVC) with skin friction at different frequencies (0.5-2.7 Hz). Surface electromyography (S-EMG) and intramuscular EMG were obtained from the elbow flexor muscles (BBS: short head of biceps brachii, BBL: long head of biceps brachii, BRA: brachialis). S-EMG activity decreased at a higher frequency of 2.7 Hz and increased linearly with an increase in skin friction frequency (0.5-2.7 Hz) in BBS. A decrease in high-threshold motor unit (HT-MU) firing rate in superficial regions and an increase in low-threshold motor unit (LT-MU) firing rate in deeper regions were observed with skin friction (2.7 Hz) in BBS. The actions of inhibitory interneurons may be influenced by cutaneous afferent input with skin friction. Muscle activation of BBS depended on the intensity of the stimulus. Skin friction over BBS results in an inhibitory response in superficial regions of BBS, most likely due to the increase in firing rate of low-threshold cutaneous mechanoreceptors.

Effect of stimulation of cold receptors with menthol on EMG activity of quadriceps muscle during low load contraction

“…In the present study, cutaneous stimulation was applied during a low load steady contraction and neuromuscular activation was measured using sEMG. Changes in neuromuscular activation that are observed in such a contraction must be due to modulation of neural control, in this study due to the application of menthol gel, as was shown by Sugawara et al (2013) in their investigation of the modulation of neuromuscular activation with skin friction during low load steady contraction (30% MVC). It has been established that increases in rmsEMG and decreases in MPF are due to the onset of fatigue and synchronization of the firing of motor units (MUs) Jørgensen 1991, 1993).…”

“…It is well known that facilitatory and inhibitory responses of spinal motor neurons (MNs) occur with electrical stimulation of cutaneous nerves (Burke et al 1989;Marchand-Pauvert et al 2002), skin brushing (Mason 1985;Wood et al 1998;Sugawara et al 2013), skin anesthesia (Sabbahi and De Luca 1981;Delwaide and Crenna 1984;Arsenault et al 1993), and skin cooling (Yona 1997;Sugawara et al 2012;Shimose et al 2014). Modulation of the MN pool differs depending on the type of stimulation and Hagbarth (1960) suggests that the motor response to noxious stimulation of the skin is either facilitative or inhibitory due to interaction of the skin with homogenous muscle.…”

Acute and prolonged hip kinematic changes after three different Kinesio Taping® interventions: A randomized placebo-controlled trial

“…The trend in the FC group was the only one that completely went in the direction of reducing ROM after the intervention. All the other interventions acutely increased the ROM E , which we can interpret based on the theory of tactile stimulation when the Kinesio tape tension is less than 50% [33]. The interpretation of the FC data is based on the theoretical principles of Kase et al [18] regarding the mechanism of action of this technique during hip extension, where because of the specific placement procedure and the use of high tape tension (75+%), increased skin tension is created, thus providing a stimulus that allows the patient to reach the end of the ROM before full physiological ROM is achieved.…”

Os efeitos da Kinesio Taping aplicada com diferentes tensões e sentidos : um ensaio clínico controlado, randomizado e cego

“…muscular, sendo conclusão desses autores que a KT apresenta pequenos efeitos em nível da força muscular.O único estudo com meta-análise realizado com a KT e força muscular, demonstrou que já existem vários trabalhos com esse objetivo, porém em sujeitos saudáveis, e nos quais os efeitos de facilitação muscular para a melhora da força mostram nenhum efeito ou efeitos mínimos. O estudo também destacou que os artigos nos quais se evidenciou melhores efeitos aumento do estímulo dos mecanoreceptores cutâneos aferentes63 .Em grande parte das pesquisas realizadas, é notória a aleatoriedade em relação à avaliação da técnica KT, observando que não existe sequência sistematizada em relação a vários fatores, entre eles, os horários de medição com a avaliação fiel do início dos efeitos, a duração de uso da bandagem e ainda se estes efeitos perduram após a retirada da mesma.Alguns autores avaliaram apenas imediatamente após a aplicação da técnica10,57 , outros, imediatamente e 12 horas após6 , com 24 horas e 72 horas após 56 , e apenas após 72 horas 57,64 . foi também utilizada a aplicação com 0% de tensão.…”