Estimation of muscle fatigue by using EMG and muscle stiffness

Abstract

This study aims at the measurement and estimation of muscle fatigue. Viscoelasticity is calculated from the biomechanical impedance spectrum and EMG is measured. When isometric and isotonic muscle fatigue are created in the forearm, elasticity, viscosity and IEMG increase, and MNF decreases. Each variable change rate, however, is different in order to estimate muscle fatigue synthetically, PCA is calculated by using viscoelasticity and EMG. As a result, it is suggested that the 1st component expresses a change in muscle stiffness and the 2nd component expresses objective fatigue. The slope of the approximation line seems to correspond to the degree of muscle fatigue.