Assessment of intramuscular activation patterns using ultrasound M-mode strain

• The intramuscular activation pattern can be connected to the motor unit recruitment strategy of force generation and fatigue resistance. Electromyography has earlier been used in several studies to quantify the spatial inhomogeneity of the muscle activation. We applied ultrasound M-mode strain to study the activation pattern through the tissue deformation. Correlation values of the strain at different force levels were used to quantify the spatial changes in the activation. The assessment was done including the biceps brachii muscle of 8 healthy subjects performing isometric elbow flexion contractions ranging from 0% to 80% of maximum voluntary contraction. The obtained results were repeatable and demonstrated consistent changes of the correlation values during force regulation, in agreement with previously presented EMG-results. Both intra-subject and inter-subject activation patterns of strain were considered along and transverse the fiber direction. The results suggest that ultrasound M-mode strain can be used as a complementary method to study intramuscular activation patterns with high spatial resolution.(C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Neurologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Neurology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Neurovetenskaper (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Neurosciences (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Fysiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Physiology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Idrottsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Sport and Fitness Sciences (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Medicinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Medical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Intramuscular activation

Recruitment strategies

Ultrasound

Strain

Biceps brachii

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)