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Isometric-based EMG threshold in girls and women

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Abstract

Background

The electromyographic threshold (EMGTh) has been suggested to indicate the onset of accelerated higher-threshold (type-II) MU recruitment. Previous research has demonstrated that boys’ EMGTh occurs at higher relative exercise intensities than men’s in both cycling- and isometric-based testing. Girls‒women EMGTh differences were demonstrated only in cycling, but findings were clouded by low EMGTh-detection rates in women (68%) and particularly in girls (45%)

Purpose

To examine the EMGTh, in girls and women, using the same males-employed isometric-based test protocol, and compare the females’ findings with those previously obtained in the males.

Methods

Seventeen girls and 17 women had their EMGTh determined as well as their one-repetition-maximum isometric knee-extension strength (1RM). Vastus-lateralis sEMG root mean square was recorded and the EMGTh was defined as the exercise intensity (%1RM) at the bi-segmental point of the least sum of squares.

Results

EMGTh was detected in 88.2% of girls and 94.1% of women and occurred at higher relative intensities in the girls than in women (56.0 ± 11.1 vs. 47.7 ± 8.0% 1RM). The girls’ 1RM (normalized to lean body mass) was only 69.1% that of the women.

Conclusions

Girls’ EMGTh values are higher compared with women’s, possibly reflecting lower ability to activate higher-threshold (type-II) motor units. The females’ EMGTh and detection-rate values were similar to the corresponding values previously observed in males. The females’ age-related difference in the recruitment of higher-threshold motor units, as reflected by the EMGTh, appears to be on par with the males.

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Abbreviations

EMG:

Electromyography

EMGTh :

Electromyographic threshold

EMGRMS :

Root mean square of the EMG signal

EMGRMS5:

Average of EMGRMS values for each load

IICT:

Intermittent isometric-contraction test

LBM:

Lean body mass

LSS:

Least sum of squares

MU:

Motor unit

MVC:

Maximal volitional contraction

RM:

Repetition maximum

RMS:

Root mean square

sEMG:

Surface EMG

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank both participants and parents for their time, good will, dedication and perseverance with the repeated demands of the study’s protocol.

Funding

The study was supported by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

    Stacey Woods, Nicole Jenicek & Bareket Falk

  2. Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

    Raffy Dotan

  3. Centre for Bone and Muscle Health, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, Canada

    Bareket Falk

Authors
  1. Stacey Woods
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  2. Raffy Dotan
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  3. Nicole Jenicek
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  4. Bareket Falk
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Contributions

SW, RD and BF conceived and designed research. SW, NJ, and RD conducted experiments. RD designed and built the custom-made ergometer. SW and RD analyzed data. SW, RD and BF wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raffy Dotan.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by Toshio Moritani.

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Woods, S., Dotan, R., Jenicek, N. et al. Isometric-based EMG threshold in girls and women. Eur J Appl Physiol 120, 907–914 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04331-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04331-7

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