Within- and between-day reliability and repeatability of neuromuscular function assessment in females and males

Abstract

The study evaluated the reliability and repeatability of the force and surface electromyography activity (EMG) outcomes obtained through voluntary and electrically evoked contractions of knee extensors in females (n=18) and males (n=20), and compared these data between sexes. Maximal isometric voluntary contractions (iMVCs) of knee extensors associated with electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve were performed over 4 days (48h-interval), with the first day involving familiarization procedures, the second involving three trials (1 h interval), and the third and fourth involving just one trial. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), and repeatability of outcomes from within- and between-day trials were determined for each sex. Females presented lower maximal voluntary force during iMVC (iMVCForce) and associated vastus lateralis EMG activity (root mean square, RMSVL), force evoked by potentiated doublet high-frequency (Db100Force) and single stimuli ( Qtw), and M-wave amplitude than males (p≤0.01, partial eta squared≥0.94). Voluntary activation (VA) and RMSVL/M-wave amplitude did not differ between sexes. iMVCForce, VA, Db100Force, Qtw and M-wave amplitude were the most reliable outcomes in within-day trials, with similar results between sexes (ICC>0.62; CV<6.4%; repeatability: 12.2 to 22.6%). When investigating between-days trials, the iMVCForce, VA, Db100Force and Qtw were the most reliable (ICC>0.66; CV<7.5%; repeatability: 13.2 to 33.45%) with similar results between sexes. In conclusion, females presented lower iMVCForce and evoked response than males. Although reliability and repeatability statistics vary between trials, data (e.g., from EMG or force signal) and sexes, most of outcomes obtained through this technique are reliable in females and males.