Identification of muscle movements and activity by experimental methods for selected cases - stage#1.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to determine the position where the most activated and isolated individual muscles were. In the next steps, the selected limb positions will be used to determine the maximum values of isometric forces of the individual muscle heads based on the Hill model.

METHODS

In order to determine the sought muscle activation, an electromyograph was used. Isometric contraction measurements were carried out for seven series of tests. Isometric contraction was performed as 100% MVC.

RESULTS

For the long head of the biceps muscle, in the case of bending in the shoulder joint, angle of 75° was selected and for abduction in the shoulder joint - 90°. Internal rotation in the shoulder joint was omitted because of lower activation values. For the short head of the biceps muscle, the angle characterized by the greatest activity of the head was the angle of 115° in flexion at the elbow joint. The selected angle was 30° for shoulder extension and 110° for shoulder adduction. For the lateral head of the triceps brachial muscle, measurements showed that the angle at which the lateral head was most activated is 115°.

CONCLUSIONS

The aim of this study was to determine the positions of the arm muscles that activate and isolate individual heads the most. The research presented and achieved results concern one specific person for whom a personalized numerical model was developed to represent the flexion-extension movement at the elbow joint. The performed tests can also be a preliminary assessment of the upper limb positions, for which wider conclusions could be drawn in the case of measurements on a larger number of participants.