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Periodic increases in force during sustained contraction reduce fatigue and facilitate spatial redistribution of trapezius muscle activity

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Abstract

This study compared fatigue and the spatial distribution of upper trapezius electromyographic (EMG) amplitude during a 6-min constant force shoulder elevation task at 20% of the maximal voluntary contraction force (MVC) (constant force) and during the same task interrupted by brief (2 s) periodic increases in force to 25% MVC every 30 s (variable force). Surface EMG signals were recorded with a 13 × 5 grid of electrodes from the upper trapezius muscle of nine healthy subjects. The centroid (center of activity) of the EMG root mean square map was computed to assess changes over time in the spatial distribution of EMG amplitude. MVC force decreased by (mean ± SD) 9.0 ± 3.9% after the constant force task (P < 0.05) but was unchanged following the variable force contraction. The centroid of EMG amplitude shifted in the cranial direction across the duration of the variable force contraction (P < 0.05) but not during the constant force contraction (shift of 2.9 ± 2.3 mm and 1.4 ± 1.1 mm, respectively). The results demonstrate that periodic increases in force during a sustained contraction enhance the modifications in spatial distribution of upper trapezius EMG amplitude and reduce fatigue compared to a constant force contraction performed at a lower average load. The change in spatial distribution of EMG amplitude over time during a sustained contraction may reflect a mechanism to counteract fatigue during prolonged muscle activity.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are sincerely grateful to Pascal Madeleine (Aalborg University) for the support in the use of the force measurement system. Deborah Falla is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (ID 351678). This study was partly supported by the Danish Technical Research Council (project “Centre for Neuroengineering (CEN)”, contract no. 26-04-0100) and by the European project “Cybernetic Manufacturing Systems” (CyberManS; contract no. 016712) (Dario Farina).

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  1. Center for Sensory–Motor Interaction (SMI), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7, D-3, 9220, Aalborg, Denmark

    Deborah Falla & Dario Farina

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  1. Deborah Falla
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  2. Dario Farina
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Correspondence to Deborah Falla.

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Falla, D., Farina, D. Periodic increases in force during sustained contraction reduce fatigue and facilitate spatial redistribution of trapezius muscle activity. Exp Brain Res 182, 99–107 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-007-0974-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-007-0974-4

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