Clarys J P
Experimental Anatomy, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.
Ergonomics. 2000 Oct;43(10):1750-62. doi: 10.1080/001401300750004159.
The detection of the electrical signal from human and animal muscle dates from long before L. Galvani who took credit for it. J. Swammerdam had already shown the Duke of Tuscany in 1658 the mechanics of muscular contraction. Even if 'electrology or localised electrisation' - the original terminology for electromyography (EMG) - contained the oldest biological scientific detection and measuring techniques, EMG remained a 'supporting' measurement with limited discriminating use, except in conjunction with other methods. All this changed when EMG became a diagnostic tool for studies of muscle weakness, fatigue, pareses, paralysis. and nerve conduction velocities, lesions of the motor unit or for neurogenic and myogenic problems. In addition to the measurement qualities, the electrical signal could be induced as functional electrical stimulation (FES), which developed as a specific rehabilitation tool. Almost in parallel and within the expanding area of EMG, a speciality developed wherein the aim was to use EMG for the study of muscular function and coordination of muscles in different movements and postures. Kinesiological EMG and therewith surface EMG can be applied in studies of normal muscle function during selected movements and postures; muscle activity in complex sports; occupational and rehabilitation movements; isometric contraction with increasing tension up to the maximal voluntary contraction, evaluation of functional anatomical muscle activity (validation of classical anatomical functions); coordination and synchronization studies (kinematic chain); specificity and efficiency of training methods; fatigue; the relationship between EMG and force; the human-machine interaction; the influence of material on muscle activity, occupational loading in relation to lower back pain and joint kinematics. Within these various applications the recording system (e.g. the signal detection, the volume conduction, signal amplification, impedance and frequency responses, the signal characteristics) and the data-processing system (e.g. rectification, linear envelope and normalization methods) go hand in hand with a critical appraisal of choices, limits and possibilities.
早在被誉为发现者的L. 伽伐尼之前，人们就已开始检测来自人类和动物肌肉的电信号。1658年，J. 斯瓦默丹就已向托斯卡纳大公展示了肌肉收缩的机制。即便“电生理学或局部电化作用”——肌电图（EMG）的最初术语——包含了最古老的生物科学检测和测量技术，但除了与其他方法结合使用外，EMG仍然是一种辨别用途有限的“辅助”测量方法。当EMG成为研究肌肉无力、疲劳、轻瘫、麻痹以及神经传导速度、运动单位损伤或神经源性和肌源性问题的诊断工具时，一切都发生了改变。除了测量特性外，电信号还可以作为功能性电刺激（FES）被诱发出来，而功能性电刺激已发展成为一种特定的康复工具。几乎与此同时，在不断扩展的EMG领域内，一门专门学科应运而生，其目的是利用EMG研究不同运动和姿势下肌肉的功能及肌肉协调性。运动学肌电图以及与之相关的表面肌电图可应用于以下研究：特定运动和姿势下的正常肌肉功能；复杂运动中的肌肉活动；职业和康复运动；从等长收缩到最大自主收缩，张力不断增加的等长收缩过程中，对功能性解剖肌肉活动的评估（经典解剖功能的验证）；协调性和同步性研究（运动链）；训练方法的特异性和有效性；疲劳；肌电图与力量之间的关系；人机交互；材料对肌肉活动的影响、与下背痛相关的职业负荷以及关节运动学。在这些各种各样的应用中，记录系统（如信号检测、容积传导、信号放大、阻抗和频率响应、信号特征）和数据处理系统（如整流、线性包络和归一化方法）与对选择、局限性和可能性的批判性评估紧密相连。
