REPEATABILITY OF MECHANOMYOGRAM (MMG) FROM VOLUNTARY ISOMETRIC CONTRACTION OF BICEPS BRACHII MUSCLES

Abstract

The repeatability of the mechanomyogram (MMG) must be carefully determined before the signal can be generally used as a reliable tool in the fields such as physical fitness, sports and rehabilitation. In the present investigation, both the between-trial and between-day repeatability of the MMG was examined in the time and frequency domain and was compared with that of the more established electromyogram (EMG) . Isometric contraction trials of the biceps brachii muscles at different force levels of 10% to 90% MVC were held until a force plateau lasting 5 s was completed. The testing session consisting of 9 submaximal trials was repeated 6 times on the same day for estimation of the variation between trials. The same testing session was also performed 8 times over 3 weeks with a 2-day rest interval to examine the day-to-day variation. The coefficient of variation (CV) between-trials as well as between-days of the root mean squared (rms) MMG, mean frequency and median frequency did not demonstrate any significant differences among the force levels. The combined CV of the rms MMG over all the force levels was approximately 9 % between trials and 22% between days. The mean frequency and the median frequency presented the CV between-trials and between-days of approximately 6% and 10%, respectively. The different CV between the time and frequency domain parameters of the MMG may result from different contributing factors in the motor unit activation pattern. The results of this study suggest that the repeatability of the time domain parameter of the MMG is similar to that of the more established EMG, whereas the frequency parameters are somewhat less repeatable than those of the EMG.