Real-Time Changes in Corticospinal Excitability during Voluntary Contraction with Concurrent Electrical Stimulation

While previous studies have assessed changes in corticospinal excitability following voluntary contraction coupled with electrical stimulation (ES), we sought to examine, for the first time in the field, real-time changes in corticospinal excitability. We monitored motor evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation and recorded the MEPs using a mechanomyogram, which is less susceptible to electrical artifacts. We assessed the MEPs at each level of muscle contraction of wrist flexion (0%, 5%, or 20% of maximum voluntary contraction) during voluntary wrist flexion (flexor carpi radialis (FCR) voluntary contraction), either with or without simultaneous low-frequency (10 Hz) ES of the median nerve that innervates the FCR. The stimulus intensity corresponded to 1.2× perception threshold. In the FCR, voluntary contraction with median nerve stimulation significantly increased corticospinal excitability compared with FCR voluntary contraction without median nerve stimulation (p<0.01). In addition, corticospinal excitability was significantly modulated by the level of FCR voluntary contraction. In contrast, in the extensor carpi radialis (ECR), FCR voluntary contraction with median nerve stimulation significantly decreased corticospinal excitability compared with FCR voluntary contraction without median nerve stimulation (p<0.05). Thus, median nerve stimulation during FCR voluntary contraction induces reciprocal changes in cortical excitability in agonist and antagonist muscles. Finally we also showed that even mental imagery of FCR voluntary contraction with median nerve stimulation induced the same reciprocal changes in cortical excitability in agonist and antagonist muscles. Our results support the use of voluntary contraction coupled with ES in neurorehabilitation therapy for patients.     

Different motor learning effects on excitability changes of motor cortex in muscle contraction state

Abstract

We aimed to investigate whether motor learning induces different excitability changes in the human motor cortex (M1) between two different muscle contraction states (before voluntary contraction [static] or during voluntary contraction [dynamic]). For the same, using motor evoked potentials (MEPs) obtained by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), we compared excitability changes during these two states after pinch-grip motor skill learning. The participants performed a force output tracking task by pinch grip on a computer screen. TMS was applied prior to the pinch grip (static) and after initiation of voluntary contraction (dynamic). MEPs of the following muscles were recorded: first dorsal interosseous (FDI), thenar muscle (Thenar), flexor carpi radialis (FCR), and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles. During both the states, motor skill training led to significant improvement of motor performance. During the static state, MEPs of the FDI muscle were significantly facilitated after motor learning; however, during the dynamic state, MEPs of the FDI, Thenar, and FCR muscles were significantly decreased. Based on the results of this study, we concluded that excitability changes in the human M1 are differentially influenced during different voluntary contraction states (static and dynamic) after motor learning.     

Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on motor cortex excitability upon release of tonic muscle contraction

The aim of the present study was to investigate the neurophysiological triggers underlying muscle relaxation from the contracted state, and to examine the mechanisms involved in this process and their subsequent modification by neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to produce motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) in 23 healthy participants, wherein motor cortex excitability was examined at the onset of voluntary muscle relaxation following a period of voluntary tonic muscle contraction. In addition, the effects of afferent input on motor cortex excitability, as produced by NMES during muscle contraction, were examined. In particular, two NMES intensities were used for analysis: 1.2 times the sensory threshold and 1.2 times the motor threshold (MT). Participants were directed to execute constant wrist extensions and to release muscle contraction in response to an auditory “GO” signal. MEPs were recorded from the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscles, and TMS was applied at three different time intervals (30, 60, and 90?ms) after the “GO” signal. Motor cortex excitability was greater during voluntary ECR and FCR relaxation using high-intensity NMES, and relaxation time was decreased. Each parameter differed significantly between 30 and 60?ms. Moreover, in both muscles, SICI was larger in the presence than in the absence of NMES. Therefore, the present findings suggest that terminating a muscle contraction triggers transient neurophysiological mechanisms that facilitate the NMES-induced modulation of cortical motor excitability in the period prior to muscle relaxation. High-intensity NMES might facilitate motor cortical excitability as a function of increased inhibitory intracortical activity, and therefore serve as a transient trigger for the relaxation of prime mover muscles in a therapeutic context.     

How Thoughts Give Rise to Action - Conscious Motor Intention Increases the Excitability of Target-Specific Motor Circuits

The present study shows evidence for conscious motor intention in motor preparation prior to movement execution. We demonstrate that conscious motor intention of directed movement, combined with minimally supra-threshold transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex, determines the direction and the force of resulting movements, whilst a lack of intention results in weak and omni-directed muscle activation. We investigated changes of consciously intended goal directed movements by analyzing amplitudes of motor-evoked potentials of the forearm muscle, flexor carpi radialis (FCR), and extensor carpi radialis (ECR), induced by transcranial magnetic stimulation over the right motor cortex and their motor outcome. Right-handed subjects were asked to develop a strong intention to move their left wrist (flexion or extension), without any overt motor output at the wrist, prior to brain stimulation. Our analyses of hand acceleration and electromyography showed that during the strong motor intention of wrist flexion movement, it evoked motor potential responses that were significantly larger in the FCR muscle than in the ECR, whilst the opposite was true for an extension movement. The acceleration data on flexion/extension corresponded to this finding. Under no-intention conditions again, which served as a reference for motor evoked potentials, brain stimulation resulted in undirected and minimally simultaneous extension/flexion innervation and virtually no movement. These results indicate that conscious intentions govern motor function, which in turn shows that a neuronal activation representing an “intention network” in the human brain pre-exists, and that it functionally represents target specific motor circuits. Until today, it was unclear whether conscious motor intention exists prior to movement, or whether the brain constructs such an intention after movement initiation. Our study gives evidence that motor intentions become aware before any motor execution.     

The importance of abductor pollicis longus in wrist motions: A physiological wrist simulator study

The abductor pollicis longus (APL) is one of the primary radial deviators of the wrist, owing to its insertion at the base of the first metacarpal and its large moment arm about the radioulnar deviation axis. Although it plays a vital role in surgical reconstructions of the wrist and hand, it is often neglected while simulating wrist motions in vitro. The aim of this study was to observe the effects of the absence of APL on the distribution of muscle forces during wrist motions. A validated physiological wrist simulator was used to replicate cyclic planar and complex wrist motions in cadaveric specimens by applying tensile loads to six wrist muscles – flexor carpi radialis (FCR), flexor carpi ulnaris, extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL), extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) and APL. Resultant muscle forces for active wrist motions with and without actuating the APL were compared. The absence of APL resulted in higher forces in FCR and ECRL – the synergists of APL – and lower forces in ECU – the antagonist of APL. The altered distribution of wrist muscle forces observed in the absence of active APL control could significantly alter the efficacy of in vitro experiments conducted on wrist simulators, in particular when investigating those surgical reconstructions or rehabilitation of the wrist heavily reliant on the APL, such as treatments for basal thumb osteoarthritis.     

Facilitation between extensor carpi radialis and pronator teres in humans: A study using a post-stimulus time histogram method

Group I muscle afferents modulate the excitability of motor neurons through excitatory and inhibitory spinal reflexes. Spinal reflex relationships between various muscle pairs are well described in experimental animals but not in the human upper limb, which exhibits a fine control of movement. In the present study, spinal reflexes between the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and pronator teres (PT) muscles were examined in healthy human subjects using a post-stimulus time histogram method. Electrical stimulation of low-threshold afferents of ECR nerves increased the motor neuron excitability in 31 of 76 PT motor units (MUs) in all eight subjects tested, while stimulation of low-threshold afferents of PT nerves increased the motor neuron excitability in 36 of 102 ECR MUs in all 10 subjects. The estimated central synaptic delay was almost equivalent to that of homonymous facilitation. Mechanical stimulation (MS) of ECR facilitated 16 of 30 PT MUs in all five subjects tested, while MS of PT facilitated 17 of 30 ECR MUs in all six subjects. These results suggest excitatory reflex (facilitation) between PT and ECR. Group I afferents should mediate the facilitation through a monosynaptic path.     

Changes in Corticomotor Excitability and Intracortical Inhibition of the Primary Motor Cortex Forearm Area Induced by Anodal tDCS

Objective

Previous studies have investigated how tDCS over the primary motor cortex modulates excitability in the intrinsic hand muscles. Here, we tested if tDCS changes corticomotor excitability and/or cortical inhibition when measured in the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and if these aftereffects can be successfully assessed during controlled muscle contraction.

Methods

We implemented a double blind cross-over design in which participants (n = 16) completed two sessions where the aftereffects of 20 min of 1 mA (0.04 mA/cm²) anodal vs sham tDCS were tested in a resting muscle, and two more sessions where the aftereffects of anodal vs sham tDCS were tested in an active muscle.

Results

Anodal tDCS increased corticomotor excitability in ECR when aftereffects were measured with a low-level controlled muscle contraction. Furthermore, anodal tDCS decreased short interval intracortical inhibition but only when measured at rest and after non-responders (n = 2) were removed. We found no changes in the cortical silent period.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that targeting more proximal muscles in the upper limb with anodal tDCS is achievable and corticomotor excitability can be assessed in the presence of a low-level controlled contraction of the target muscle.     

Central nervous adaptations following 1 wk of wrist and hand immobilization.

Plastic neural changes have been documented in relation to different types of physical activity, but little is known about central nervous system plasticity accompanying reduced physical activity and immobilization. In the present study we investigated whether plastic neural changes occur in relation to 1 wk of immobilization of the nondominant wrist and hand and a corresponding period of recovery in 10 able-bodied volunteers. After immobilization, maximal voluntary contraction torque decreased and the variability of submaximal static contractions increased significantly without evidence of changes in muscle contractile properties. Hoffmann (H)-reflex amplitudes and the ratios of H-slope to M-slope increased significantly in flexor carpi radialis and abductor pollicis brevis at rest and during contraction without changes in corticospinal excitability, estimated from motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation. Corticomuscular coherence measures were derived from EEG and EMG obtained during static contractions. After immobilization, corticomuscular coherence in the 15- to 35-Hz range associated with maximum negative cumulant values at lags corresponding to MEP latencies decreased. One week after cast removal, all measurements returned to preimmobilization levels. The increased H-reflex amplitudes without changes in MEPs may suggest that presynaptic inhibition or postactivation depression of Ia afferents is reduced following immobilization. Reduced corticomuscular coherence may be caused by changes in afferent input at spinal and cortical levels or by changes in the descending drive from motor cortex. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the observed increased spinal excitability and reduced coupling between motor cortex and spinal motoneuronal activity following immobilization.     

Fatigue effect on cross-talk in mechanomyography signals of extensor and flexor forearm muscles during maximal voluntary isometric contractions

Objective:This paper presents the analyses of the fatigue effect on the cross-talk in mechanomyography (MMG) signals of extensor and flexor forearm muscles during pre- and post-fatigue maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).Methods:Twenty male participants performed repetitive submaximal (60% MVIC) grip muscle contractions to induce muscle fatigue and the results were analyzed during the pre- and post-fatigue MVIC. MMG signals were recorded on the extensor digitorum (ED), extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL), flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) and flexor carpi radialis (FCR) muscles. The cross-correlation coefficient was used to quantify the cross-talk values in forearm muscle pairs (MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4, MP5 and MP6). In addition, the MMG RMS and MMG MPF were calculated to determine force production and muscle fatigue level, respectively.Results:The fatigue effect significantly increased the cross-talk values in forearm muscle pairs except for MP2 and MP6. While the MMG RMS and MMG MPF significantly decreased (p<0.05) based on the examination of the mean differences from pre- and post-fatigue MVIC.Conclusion:The presented results can be used as a reference for further investigation of cross-talk on the fatigue assessment of extensor and flexor muscles’ mechanic.     

The neural control of coactivation during fatiguing contractions revisited

In addition to the role of muscle coactivation, a major question in the field is how antagonist activation is controlled to minimize its opposing effect on agonist muscle performance. Muscle fatigue is an interesting condition to analyze the neural adjustments in antagonist muscle activity and to gain more insights into the control mechanisms of coactivation. In that context, previous studies have reported that although the EMG activity of agonists and antagonists increase in parallel, the ratio between EMG activities in the two sets of muscles during a fatiguing submaximal contraction decreased progressively and contributed to a reduction in the time to task failure. In contrast, more recent studies using a novel normalization procedure indicated that the agonist/antagonist ratio remained relatively constant, suggesting that the fatigue-related increase in coactivation does not impede performance. Current knowledge also indicates that peripheral mechanisms cannot by themselves mediate the intensity of antagonist coactivation during fatiguing contractions, implying that supraspinal mechanisms are involved. The unique modulation of the synaptic input from Ia afferents to the antagonist motor neurones during a fatiguing contraction of the agonist muscles further suggests a separate control of the two sets of muscles.     

Motor unit activation patterns during concentric wrist flexion in humans with different muscle fibre composition

Muscle activity was recorded from the flexor carpi radialis muscle during static and dynamic-concentric wrist flexion in six subjects, who had exhibited large differences in histochemically identified muscle fibre composition. Motor unit recruitment patterns were identified by sampling 310 motor units and counting firing rates in pulses per second (pps). During concentric wrist flexion at 30% of maximal exercise intensity the mean firing rate was 27 (SD 13) pps. This was around twice the value of 12 (SD 5) pps recorded during sustained static contraction at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction, despite a larger absolute force level during the static contraction. A similar pattern of higher firing rates during dynamic exercise was seen when concentric wrist flexion at 60% of maximal exercise intensity [30 (SD 14) pps] was compared with sustained static contraction at 60% of maximal voluntary contraction [19 (SD 8) pps]. The increase in dynamic exercise intensity was accomplished by recruitment of additional motor units rather than by increasing the firing rate as during static contractions. No difference in mean firing rates was found among subjects with different muscle fibre composition, who had previously exhibited marked differences in metabolic response during corresponding dynamic contractions. It was concluded that during submaximal dynamic contractions motor unit firing rate cannot be deduced from observations during static contractions and that muscle fibre composition may play a minor role. Accepted: 5 May 1998     

Structure-function relationships of the flexor carpi radialis muscle compared among four species of mammals

Investigations of the structure and function of the flexor carpi radialis muscle (FCR) in the cat have led to the hypothesis that the compartmentalized (nonuniform) distribution of fiber types within the muscle relate to the complex motor skills of the cat. To test this hypothesis a study was undertaken to compare the FCR in four mammalian species of similar body size but with different forelimb motor tasks. The species chosen were: dog, opossum, armadillo, and cat. Comparisons were made among species with regard to general muscle morphology, fiber types and sizes, fiber proportions, and fiber distriburtions. The FCR of all species was morphologically similar and contained three muscle fiber types (SO, FOG, and FG). The mean area of muscle fibers was largest in opossum, while the FCR fibers of dogs were smallest. The percentage of SO fibers in the dog FCR was greater than in the other species studied. The opossum FCR also contained a high percentage of SO fibers. The armadillo FCR consisted of a high percentage of FG fibers. In the cat FCR the percentages of all three fiber types were similar. For each species, individual fiber proportions were in agreement with the results for fiber percentages. Compartmentalized distribution of fiber types existed in each species with the dog having the most compartmentalized fiber type distribution and the cat the least compartmentalized distribution. Therefore it seems that the compartmentalized organization of the FCR is not related to any specialized motor task, but may be a generalized pattern associated with motor patterns shared among all species studied.     

Anatomical partitioning of three multiarticular human muscles.

To examine neuromuscular partitioning within human muscles, the innervation patterns and muscle fiber architecture of the flexor carpi radialis (FCR), extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles were examined. Consistent patterns of innervation between specimens were found within each of the three muscles. The nerve to the FCR clearly innervates three major architectural divisions of the muscle. The ECRL is innervated by two different muscle nerves. Branches of these nerves innervate at least two distinct anatomical subvolumes. However, the subvolumes of the ECRL defined by muscle architecture are not totally congruent with those defined by the innervation pattern. In the LG, the single muscle nerve branches into two main divisions, and these subsequently divide into branches which supply the three heads. However, each head does not receive a completely private nerve. These results indicate that human muscles are partitioned in a manner roughly similar to the divisions of the same muscles in cats and rats, but with less congruency of architecture and innervation.     

Examining the reliability of the flexor carpi radialis V-wave at different levels of muscle contraction

This study examined the reliability and scaling of the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) V-wave during submaximal and maximal voluntary muscle contractions (MVC). 23 participants were tested on three separate sessions. For each session, participants performed isometric wrist flexions at five contraction levels (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 %MVC). When the target contraction level was reached, a supramaximal electrical stimulus was applied to the median nerve in order to elicit an FCR V-wave. Across all participants, the FCR V-wave amplitude, normalized to its superimposed M-wave amplitude, increased from 0.030 ± 0.001 to 0.143 ± 0.015 (P < 0.001) as the muscle contraction increased from 20 to 100 %MVC. Contraction level did not influence the reliability of evoking the FCR V-wave, as the V-wave demonstrated both stability and consistency. With the exception of a single day main effect during the 20 %MVC condition, V:M_sup was not different across days or trials (P > 0.05) indicating measurement stability. High reliability co-efficients (0.827–0.913) at each contraction level signified measurement consistency. This study establishes that FCR V-waves can be reliably evoked during both submaximal and maximal muscle contractions and suggests the possibility for FCR V-wave recordings to be used to document neuromuscular adaptations associated with factors such as training or fatigue.     

Excitability of the motor cortex ipsilateral to the moving body side depends on spatio-temporal task complexity and hemispheric specialization

Unilateral movements are mainly controlled by the contralateral hemisphere, even though the primary motor cortex ipsilateral (M1(ipsi)) to the moving body side can undergo task-related changes of activity as well. Here we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to investigate whether representations of the wrist flexor (FCR) and extensor (ECR) in M1(ipsi) would be modulated when unilateral rhythmical wrist movements were executed in isolation or in the context of a simple or difficult hand-foot coordination pattern, and whether this modulation would differ for the left versus right hemisphere. We found that M1(ipsi) facilitation of the resting ECR and FCR mirrored the activation of the moving wrist such that facilitation was higher when the homologous muscle was activated during the cyclical movement. We showed that this ipsilateral facilitation increased significantly when the wrist movements were performed in the context of demanding hand-foot coordination tasks whereas foot movements alone influenced the hand representation of M1(ipsi) only slightly. Our data revealed a clear hemispheric asymmetry such that MEP responses were significantly larger when elicited in the left M1(ipsi) than in the right. In experiment 2, we tested whether the modulations of M1(ipsi) facilitation, caused by performing different coordination tasks with the left versus right body sides, could be explained by changes in short intracortical inhibition (SICI). We found that SICI was increasingly reduced for a complex coordination pattern as compared to rest, but only in the right M1(ipsi). We argue that our results might reflect the stronger involvement of the left versus right hemisphere in performing demanding motor tasks.     

Wrist tendon moment arms: Quantification by imaging and experimental techniques

Subject-specific musculoskeletal models require accurate values of muscle moment arms. The aim of this study was to compare moment arms of wrist tendons obtained from non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to those obtained from an in vitro experimental approach. MRI was performed on ten upper limb cadaveric specimens to obtain the centrelines for the flexor carpi radialis (FCR), flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL), extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB), extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU), and abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendons. From these, the anatomical moment arms about each of the flexion-extension (FE) and radioulnar deviation (RUD) axes of the wrist were calculated. Specimens were mounted on a physiologic wrist simulator to obtain functional measurements of the moment arms using the tendon excursion method. No differences were observed between anatomical and functional values of the FE and RUD moment arms of FCR, ECRL and ECRB, and the RUD moment arm of ECU (p > .075). Scaling the anatomical moment arms relative to ECRB in FE and ECU in RUD reduced differences in the FE moment arm of FCU and the RUD moment arm of APL to less than 15% (p > .139). However, differences persisted in moment arms of FCU in RUD, and ECU and APL in FE (p < .008). This study shows that while measurements of moment arms of wrist tendons using imaging do not always conform to values obtained using in vitro experimental approaches, a stricter protocol could result in the acquisition of subject-specific moment arms to personalise musculoskeletal models.     

A Higher Number of TMS-Elicited MEP from a Combined Hotspot Improves Intra- and Inter-Session Reliability of the Upper Limb Muscles in Healthy Individuals

We aimed to determine, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), the number of elicited motor evoked potentials (MEPs) that induces the highest intra- and inter-sessions reliability for the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and first dorsal interosseus (FDI) muscles. Twelve healthy subjects participated in this study on two separate days. Single pulse magnetic stimuli were triggered with Magstim 200² to obtain MEPs from the muscles of interest, with the subjects in a relaxed position. Reliability of MEP responses was investigated in three blocks of 5, 10 and 15 trials. The intra- and inter-session reliability of the MEPs'' amplitudes and latencies were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-tests revealed no significant time effect in the MEP amplitude and latency measurements (P>0.05). The ICCs indicated high intra-session reliability in the MEPs'' amplitudes for the ECR and FDI muscles (0.77 to 0.99, 0.90 to 0.99, respectively) and latency (0.80 to 1.00, 0.75 to 0.97, respectively). The MEPs'' amplitudes also had high inter-session reliability (0.84 to 0.97, 0.88 to 0.93, respectively), as did their latency (0.80 to 0.90, 0.75 to 0.97, respectively). Highest intra- and inter-session reliability was achieved for blocks of 10 and 15 trials. Our data suggest that intra- and inter-session comparisons should be performed using at least 10 MEPs in “combined hotspot” stimulation technique to ensure highest reliability.     

Oxygenation and Hemodynamics Do Not Underlie Early Muscle Fatigue for Patients with Work-Related Muscle Pain

Patients suffering from work-related muscle pain (WRMP) fatigue earlier during exercise than healthy controls. Inadequate oxygen consumption and/or inadequate blood supply can influence the ability of the muscles to withstand fatigue. However, it remains unknown if oxygenation and hemodynamics are associated with early fatigue in muscles of WRMP patients. In the present study we applied near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) on the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) and trapezius (TD) muscles of patients with WRMP (n = 18) and healthy controls (n = 17). Our objective was to determine if there were group differences in endurance times for a low-level contraction of 15% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) – sustained for 12–13 min, and to see if these differences were associated with differences in muscle oxygenation and hemodynamics. At baseline, oxygen saturation (StO₂%) was similar between groups for the ECR, but StO₂% was significantly lower for TD for the WRMP patients (76%) compared to controls (85%) (P<0.01). Also, baseline ECR blood flow was similar in the two groups. For both muscles there were a larger number of patients, compared to controls, that did not maintain the 15% MVC for the allotted time. Consequently, the endurance times were significantly shorter for the WRMP patients than controls (medians, ECR: 347 s vs. 582 s; TD: 430 s vs. 723 s respectively). Responses in StO₂% during the contractions were not significantly different between groups for either muscle, i.e. no apparent difference in oxygen consumption. Overall, we interpret our findings to indicate that the early fatigue for our WRMP patients was not associated with muscle oxygenation and hemodynamics.     

Voluntary low-force contraction elicits prolonged low-frequency fatigue and changes in surface electromyography and mechanomyography.

Controversies exist regarding objective documentation of fatigue development with low-force contractions. We hypothesized that non-exhaustive, low-force muscle contraction may induce prolonged low-frequency fatigue (LFF) that in the subsequent recovery period is detectable by electromyography (EMG) and in particular mechanomyography (MMG) during low-force rather than high-force test contractions. Seven subjects performed static wrist extension at 10% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for 10 min (10%MVC10 min). Wrist force response to electrical stimulation of extensor carpi radialis muscle (ECR) quantified LFF. EMG and MMG were recorded from ECR during static test contractions at 5% and 80% MVC. Electrical stimulation, MVC, and test contractions were performed before 10%MVC10 min and at 10, 30, 90 and 150 min recovery. In spite of no changes in MVC, LFF persisted up to 150 min recovery but did not develop in a control experiment omitting 10%MVC10 min. In 5% MVC tests significant increase was found in time domain of EMG from 0.067+/-0.028 mV before 10%MVC10 min to 0.107+/-0.049 and 0.087+/-0.05 mV at 10 and 30 min recovery, respectively, and of the MMG from 0.054+/-0.039 ms(-2) to 0.133+/-0.104 and 0.127+/-0.099 ms(-2), respectively. No consistent changes were found in 80% MVC tests. In conclusion, non-exhaustive low-force muscle contraction resulted in prolonged LFF that in part was identified by the EMG and MMG signals.     

Fatigue effects on tracking performance and muscle activity

It has been suggested that fatigue affects proprioception and consequently movement accuracy, the effects of which may be counteracted by increased muscle activity. To determine the effects of fatigue on tracking performance and muscle activity in the M. extensor carpi radialis (ECR), 11 female participants performed a 2-min tracking task with a computer mouse, before and immediately after a fatiguing wrist extension protocol. Tracking performance was significantly affected by fatigue. Percentage time on target was significantly lower in the first half of the task after the fatigue protocol, but was unaffected in the latter half of the task. Mean distance to target and the standard deviation of the distance to target were both increased after the fatigue protocol. The changed performance was accompanied by higher peak EMG amplitudes in the ECR, whereas the static and the median EMG levels were not affected.

The results of this study showed that subjects changed tracking performance when fatigued in order to meet the task instruction to stay on target. Contrary to our expectations, this did not lead to an overall higher muscle activity, but to a selective increase in peak muscle activity levels of the ECR.