Dependence of the mean power frequency of the electromyogram on muscle force and fibre type

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the mean power frequency of the electromyogram of the knee extensors was force and/or muscle fibre‐type dependent. Ten female subjects performed a gradually increasing static knee extension (5 seconds duration) using an isokinetic dynamometer. Electromyogram‐signals were obtained from the vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and the rectus femoris muscles. The torque signal and the three electromyogram signals were recorded on a tape recorder. From the electromyogram recordings the mean power frequency and the signal amplitude were determined. Muscle biopsies were later obtained from the right vastus lateralis and stained for alkaline and acid mATPase for the determination of fibre‐type proportion and areas. Both the mean power frequencies and the signal amplitudes of the three knee extensors were positively torque dependent. Furthermore it was found that the fibre type proportion and the regression coefficient of the torque (%)‐mean power frequency relationship were positively correlated. Also a negative correlation existed between the type‐1 (%) proportion and the intercept of the individual torque (%)‐mean power frequency relationships. In contrast to proposed models of the electromyogram signal no correlation was found between the mean power frequency and the fibre area.