A human body can carry out many physiological complex processes which can be mechanical, electrical or bio-chemical. Each mechanical activity generates a signal that describes the characteristics of the particular action in the form of pressure or temperature. Any irregularity in the process changes the usual functioning thus affecting the performance of the system. Several techniques were introduced to evaluate these muscular signals in order to get a deeper understanding of the medical abnormalities. Displacement sensors, laser optics, electrodes, accelerometers and microphones are some of the widely used devices in measuring the electrical and mechanical activities produced in the muscles. The aim of this thesis project was to find and implement a simple non-contact optical method to measure and monitor the displacements caused on the surface of the skin due to muscular movements. In this study, a device was developed using photo electric sensors that can record surface changes caused on the skin due to the movements forearm muscles. / Människokroppens aktiviteter genererar olika mätbara signaler som kan vara biokemiska, elektriska, mekaniska. Naturligtvis är det viktigt att kunna mäta dessa signaler för att kunna veta om kroppens olika organ fungerar som de ska göra eller inte. När det gäller rent mekaniska aktiviteter genereras signaler av olika typer som beskriver denna aktivitet, såsom tryck, temperatur och förflyttning. Om en sådan process avviker från det normala fallet, kommer kroppssystemets prestanda att försämras. Ett antal tekniker utvecklades för att kunna mäta dessa signaler och uppnå djupare förståelse av möjliga icke-normala medicinska konsekvenser. Förflyttningssensorer, laser optik, elektroder, accelerometrar och mikrofoner är exempel på mättekniker som används för att studera elektrisk och mekanisk aktivitet i muskelvävnader. Målet med detta arbete är att hitta, utveckla och implementera en enkel, användarvänlig, beröringsfri, optisk teknik för att mäta och studera de ytliga förflyttningar som förändrar hudytans landskap och resulterar från muskelaktiviteter och rörelser. Detta projekt resulterade i en enkel prototyp för ett mätinstrument som ser ut som ett armband med två fotoelektriska sensorer som används för att mäta hudytans förändringar på grund av olika arm- och handrörelser.

The design of current electromyography (EMG) systems focuses on specific applications. One design focuses on the use of bipolar electrodes to monitor a single muscle group. Several of these electrodes can then be used to monitor different muscles on the body simultaneously. Another design places many electrodes in an array on a limb or over a single muscle. One cannot be used for the other. Additionally the design of an EMG system must account for several sources of noise that can be orders of magnitude larger than the EMG signal itself. The goal of this work was to design an active EMG electrode that could be used as bipolar electrodes or in an electrode array. Two electrodes were designed and tested. One design only worked in bipolar and the other did not possess the desired noise immunity. Explanations to the behavior of the electrodes are presented along with possible modifications the the electrodes to achieve the desired performance. / Master of Science / Electromyography or EMG is the measurement of the electrical activity produced by muscles when moving or lifting. These measurements are taken by metal electrodes placed on the surface of the skin. To properly measure the electrical activity precise measurement circuits have to be used and steps have to be taken to reduce any interference. EMG systems are typically setup in one of two layouts. The first layout is a few electrodes are used to monitor a muscle but many different muscles can be monitored simultaneously. The second is to place many electrodes that are close to each other to monitor a single muscle. In either layout there are many types of interference that can effect the data and must be accounted for in the systems design. In this work two electrodes were designed. The goal was to produce an electrode that would function in either layout. After testing both of the electrodes it was determined that both of the electrodes work but not as well as desired. Several future steps and design modifications are presented.

Title: EMG analysis of the influence of the water environment on walking in the elderly Objectives: The main objective of this master thesis is to determine the degree of activation of selected muscles during walking on land and in water environment by using surface electromyography. The next component objective is to determine and compare dynamic co-contraction level of low extremity muscles during walking on land and in water. Methods: It is a pilot study which was attended by 5 participants. The average age of the research group was 67,2 years and was represented 3 men and 2 women. Activity of m. tibialis anterior, m. gastrocnemius, m. rectus femoris, m. biceps femoris and mm. erectores spinae in the level of ThL transition was recorded during walking on land and in water environment. EMG signal has been adjusted, analyzed and after that normalized EMG signal to MVC was compared in both environments. The records were compared both intraindividually and interindividually. At the end dynamic co-contraction level of selected muscles was evaluated and compared during gait in both environments. Results: Electromyographic analysis revealed that during walking in aquatic environment were analyzed muscles involved with less extent than during walking on land. Co-contraction level was lower in low...

At the beginning of this work the physiological nature of electromyographic signal is described. Design of miniature, portable EMG amplifier for surface measurement is presented. Creation of program for data visualization is described, followed by description of practical EMG amplifier realization.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Background: Ambulation is critical to a child’s participation, development of selfconcept, and quality of life. Children with cerebral palsy (CP) frequently exhibit limitation in walking proficiency which has been identified as the primary physical disability. Traditional rehabilitative treatment techniques to improve ambulation for children with CP reveal inconsistent results. Driven gait orthosis (DGO) training is a novel approach focusing on motor learning principles that foster cortical neural plasticity. Objective: The objectives are to determine if: (i) the lower extremity muscle activation patterns of children with CP are similar to age-matched TD children in overground (OG) walking, (ii) DGO training replicates muscle activation patterns in OG ambulation in TD children, (iii) the lower extremity muscle activation patterns in OG walking of children with CP are similar to their muscle activation patterns with DGO assistance, and (iv) DGO training promotes unimpaired muscle activation patterns in children with CP. Methods: Muscle activity patterns of the rectus femoris, semitendinosus, gluteus maximus and gluteus medius were recorded in the OG and DGO walking conditions of children with CP and age-matched TD. The gait cycles were identified and the data was averaged to produce final average gait cycle time normalized values. Results: In comparing the variability of the muscle activation patterns within the subject groups, CP DGO walking was considerably lower than CP OG. In comparing the muscle activation patterns in each condition, consistent differences (p < .05) were noted in terminal stance, pre-swing and initial swing phases of gait with the DGO condition consistently revealing greater muscle unit recruitment. Conclusion: The results indicate that training in the DGO provided the ability to practice with measurably repetitive movement as evidenced by decreased variability. Consistent differences were noted in muscle activation patterns in the terminal stance, pre-swing and initial swing phases of gait when most of these muscles are primarily inactive. The alteration in ground reaction force within the DGO environment may play a role in this variance. With the goal of normalizing gait, it is important that the effect of these parameters on ground reaction forces be considered in the use of DGO rehabilitation.

<p>Few studies have shown the process of adaptation in muscle activity and joint angle during prolonged repetitive work. Fifteen healthy men performed 1 minute cycles of automotive-related tasks, which included a finger pull, knob turn, drill press and hose connector push. The experiment occurred on two days, separated by 24 hours. Day 1 required 61 cycles, with 5 cycles on day 2. Electromyography and kinematics of the upper extremity were analyzed at 12-minute intervals. Time to complete work cycle decreased by 6.3 s at the end of day 1 and 5.3 s on day 2. Peak EMG decreased for triceps brachii (TB), anterior deltoid (AD) and infraspinatus (IN) during work cycle, TB (finger pull), biceps brachii (BB), TB, AD, middle deltoid (MD) and IN during the hose insertion task. Peak EMG increased for MD and IN during the drill task. Mean EMG decreased for MD (work cycle), BB (hose insertion) and AD (finger pull), while MD and IN increased (drill task) and upper trapezius increased during the work cycle. EMG COV decreased for TB, AD, posterior deltoid and IN during the work cycle, TB during the finger pull task and AD during the hose insertion task. COV increased for BB during the work cycle, AD during the finger pull and for BB and lower trapezius during the drill press. Peak shoulder flexion decreased by 7.0° during the work cycle. Perceived discomfort increased by 1.2 units. This thesis found adaptations to highly repetitive but light work in only one hour, some of these changes persisted through the next day suggesting an adaptive process. This thesis is one of the first to examine adaptations to a highly repetitive simulated assembly work and has provided new insights into the evaluation of repetitive jobs as a whole and as isolated subtasks.</p> / Master of Science in Kinesiology

Informações sobre as características funcionais e estruturais da unidade motora (UM) são altamente relevantes em investigações fisiológicas e nos estudos clínicos das disfunções neuromusculares. A eletromiografia (EMG) é um método adequado para obtenção dessas informações. Entretanto, devido à dificuldade na separação da atividade individual de uma unidade motora das outras que estão simultaneamente ativas, seu uso em clínica prática se dá comumente através de métodos invasivos, empregando eletrodos de agulha ou fios implantados. Apesar da EMG de superfície ser não-invasiva e, portanto mais apropriada para aplicações clínicas, não é usada em clínica porque não há até o presente um método satisfatório para decomposição do sinal EMG de superfície. Um EMG de superfície é muito mais difícil de decompor devido a significante superposição dos Potenciais de Ação das UMs (MUAPs) e a relação sinal-ruído relativamente baixa, se comparada aos métodos invasivos. Defendemos que a separação da atividade individual das UMs pode ser feita de modo não-invasivo aliando-se técnicas de aquisição altamente especializadas com técnicas usadas em reconhecimento de padrões. Desenvolvemos um método para decomposição de EMGs de superfície, a partir do qual foi possível extrair características relevantes das UMs, que permitem seu uso em avaliação e diagnóstico de desordens neuromusculares. Em nossa abordagem, o sinal EMG é inicialmente captado sob contração isométrica fraca usando eletrodos desuperfície. O sinal EMG bruto passa em seguida por um filtro Diferencial Passa-Baixas Ponderado (DPBP) em série com um detector de picos, que detecta os picos de MUAPs e extrai suas formas de onda. Na sequência, o conjunto de MUAPs extraído é classificado por uma rede neural SOM, e os MUAPs agrupados pela similaridade de suas formas de onda. No próximo passo a informação temporal dos disparos é checada, eliminando possíveis erros de classificação, e finalmente os Trens de MUAPs (MUAPTs) das UMs individuais são reconstituídos do EMG original. As estatísticas de disparos (IPI) bem como as formas de ondas dos MUAPs das respectivas UMs são então extraídas e armazenadas para estudos posteriores. Resultados preliminares obtidos com EMGs normais e patológicos, extraídos de membros superiores sob contração fraca, indicam que, o método mostrou-se apto a decompor EMGs de superfícies, além de potencial para aplicações em estudos clínicos não-invasivos de disfunções neuromusculares.Informações sobre as características funcionais e estruturais da unidade motora (UM) são altamente relevantes em investigações fisiológicas e nos estudos clínicos das disfunções neuromusculares. A eletromiografia (EMG) é um método adequado para obtenção dessas informações. Entretanto, devido à dificuldade na separação da atividade individual de uma unidade motora das outras que estão simultaneamente ativas, seu uso em clínica prática se dá comumente através de métodos invasivos, empregando eletrodos de agulha ou fios implantados. Apesar da EMG de superfície ser não-invasiva e, portanto mais apropriada para aplicações clínicas, não é usada em clínica porque não há até o presente um método satisfatório para decomposição do sinal EMG de superfície. Um EMG de superfície é muito mais difícil de decompor devido a significante superposição dos Potenciais de Ação das UMs (MUAPs) e a relação sinal-ruído relativamente baixa, se comparada aos métodos invasivos. Defendemos que a separação da atividade individual das UMs pode ser feita de modo não-invasivo aliando-se técnicas de aquisição altamente especializadas com técnicas usadas em reconhecimento de padrões. Desenvolvemos um método para decomposição de EMGs de superfície, a partir do qual foi possível extrair características relevantes das UMs, que permitem seu uso em avaliação e diagnóstico de desordens neuromusculares. Em nossa abordagem, o sinal EMG é inicialmente captado sob contração isométrica fraca usando eletrodos desuperfície. O sinal EMG bruto passa em seguida por um filtro Diferencial Passa-Baixas Ponderado (DPBP) em série com um detector de picos, que detecta os picos de MUAPs e extrai suas formas de onda. Na sequência, o conjunto de MUAPs extraído é classificado por uma rede neural SOM, e os MUAPs agrupados pela similaridade de suas formas de onda. No próximo passo a informação temporal dos disparos é checada, eliminando possíveis erros de classificação, e finalmente os Trens de MUAPs (MUAPTs) das UMs individuais são reconstituídos do EMG original. As estatísticas de disparos (IPI) bem como as formas de ondas dos MUAPs das respectivas UMs são então extraídas e armazenadas para estudos posteriores. Resultados preliminares obtidos com EMGs normais e patológicos, extraídos de membros superiores sob contração fraca, indicam que, o método mostrou-se apto a decompor EMGs de superfícies, além de potencial para aplicações em estudos clínicos não-invasivos de disfunções neuromusculares. / Information on the functional and structural characteristics of the motor unit (MU) they are highly important in physiologic investigations and in the clinical studies of the neuromuscular dysfunctions. The electromyography (EMG) it is an appropriate method for obtaining of that information. However, due to the difficulty in the separation of the individual activity of a motor unit of the another that are simultaneously active, your use in practical clinic happen commonly through methods invasive, employing needle electrodes or implanted threads. In spite of surface EMG to be non-invasive and, therefore more appropriate for clinical applications, it is not used at clinic because there is not until the present a satisfactory method for decomposition of the surface EMG sign. A surface EMG is much more difficult of decomposing due to significant overlap of the Motor Unit Action Potentials (MUAPs) and the relationship sign-noise relatively low, if compared to the invasive methods. We defended that the separation of the individual activity of MUs can be made in way non-invasive allying highly specialized acquisition techniques with techniques used in recognition of patterns. We developed a method for decomposition of surface EMGs, starting from which was possible to extract important characteristics of MUs, which allow your use in evaluation and diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. In our approach, the sign EMG is captured initially under weak isometriccontraction using surface electrodes. The sign EMG raw raisin soon after for a Biased Low-Pass Differential filter (BLPD) in series with a detector of peaks, that detects the peaks of MUAPs and it extracts your wave forms. In the sequence, a SOM neural network classifies the set of extracted MUAPs, and MUAPs are clustered by the similarity in your wave shape. In the next step the temporal information of the discharges is checked, eliminating possible classification mistakes, and finally the MUAPs Trains (MUAPTs) of individual MUs they are reconstituted of original EMG. The statistics of discharges (IPI) as well as the forms of waves of MUAPs of respective MUs are then extracted and stored for subsequent studies. Results preliminaries obtained with normal and pathological EMGs, extracted of superior members under weak contraction, they indicate that, the method was shown capable to decompose surfaces EMGs, besides potential for applications in clinical studies non-invasive of neuromuscular dysfunctions.

Title: Effect of water temperature on the electrical activity of muscle Objective: Main objective of this work is to determine the spatiotemporal changes in muscle activation depending on different properties of the environment. All this at a defined muscle power output. Measured by hand dynamometer. Methods: This is a case study. Is processed and analyzed the relationship of the forearm muscles against the aquatic environment (different temperatures - 15 řC, 24 řC and 35 řC) and against dry. Muscular power output is defined and measured by hand dynamometer. Muscular power output was determined as isometric contraction flexors of wrist and fingers of dominant hand. It all in three different modes. The research group were included 5 healthy individuals (3 women, 2 men). As objectivization method was determined surface electromyography. Findings: There is no influence of water temperature (15 řC, 24 řC and 35 řC) on spatiotemporal activation of muscle. It all at a defined muscle power output. There is also no changes on spatiotemporal activation of muscle in aquatic and dry. Keywords: muscle contraction, temperature, water environment, surface electromyography, Water Surface EMG

The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the Vojta method therapy impact to the muscles function of the upper limbs of patients with tetraplegia. This is a pilot study, which was attended by five probands. To objectify the results, the method of surface electromyography was adopted. EMG activity of 14 muscles of the upper limbs and shoulder girdle during selected movements before and after therapy was recorded. The choice of therapeutic positions and activation zones was individual. Although a few muscles show significant changes, statistically considerable influence of the therapy cannot be confirmed from the obtained results. But from the point of view of clinical observation and patients 'subjective feelings an obvious difference can be seen. Therefore, it may be in the future advantageous to monitor the impact of Vojta method to locomotor system through clinical methods such as functional tests, tests of independence, range of motion or kinematic analysis.

Author: Bc. Modinat Sanni Supervisor: Ing. Miroslav Vilímek, PhD Title: MUSCLES ACTIVATION DURING "SHOULDER MOUNT"POLE ACROBATIC EXERCISE Purpose: This study is an empirical - theoretical study presents the literature review regarding to the topic of the shoulder function anatomy, kinesiology, biomechanics, non-traumatic injuries of the shoulder and their prevention by using the available literatures. Further, the study also compares by surface electromyography the amplitudes, shapes and durations of myoelectric signals of m. latissimus dorsi, m. pectoralis maior, m. biceps brachii, m. infraspinatus and m. supraspinatus of dominant shoulder in two healthy individuals during acrobatic exercise on vertical pole known as "Shoulder Mount". The purpose was monitor the changes in two different conditions; i.e. kinesiotape and elbow brace and compare with the control condition for the reason of finding out their ability to affect the myoelectric activities of selected muscles. Further, the Shoulder Mount exercise had recorded by six Qualisys cameras for motion analyses. Methods and materials: The potentially eligible scientific articles perform a search of studies on the topic of kinesiotapes and tennis elbow brace as measured by EMG mainly on myoelectric activity of the shoulder complex were seared from...