Historical Perspective of EMG

Tiffany Zachry

KIN 747 – Biomechanics Seminar

Spring 2004

Or…Why Frogs Hate Scientists

Jan Swammerdam (1637-1680)• Dutch anatomist and biologist• Only one known portrait of him—and

it’s a fake.• Copied from Rembrandt’s The

Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp

Picture Source: http://www.janswammerdam.net/

Swammerdam (cont’d)

• Discovered that stroking the innervating nerve of the frog’s m. gastrocnemius generated a contraction (1).

• Also strong evidence that he conducted the first electrical stimulation experiments, 134 years before Luigi Galvani (2).

Francesco Redi (1626-1698)

• First to recognize connection between muscles and generation of electricity (1).

• 1666—documented that electric ray fish used a highly-specialized muscle (3).

• Most famous for establishing that maggots do not spontaneously generate from rotting meat.

Picture Source: http://www.liberliber.it/biblioteca/r/redi/

Alessandro Volta (1745-1827)

• Developed a device which produced electricity, which could be used to stimulate muscles. (3)

• Invented the first electric battery.

• The modern term “volt” comes from his name.Source: www.dictionary.com

Picture Source: http://www.th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de/~jr/physlist.html

Luigi Galvani

• Credited as the father of neurophysiology for his similar work with frogs’ legs—1791

• Showed that “electrical stimulation of muscular tissue produces contraction and force.” (1)

• Because of limited instrumentation, his work was not fully accepted until almost 40 years later.

Picture Source: http://info.uibk.ac.at/c/c7/c704/museum/en/physicists/galvani.html

Picture Source: http://butler.cc.tut.fi/~malmivuo/bem/bembook/01/01.htm

WARNING!

The following picture is graphic in nature and may not be suitable for all

audiences. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with weak

sphincters are strongly cautioned.

Modern Galvanized Frog

Picture Source: http://www.soilmedia.org/artistprojects/hertz/

Carlo Matteucci

• First practical galvanometer developed in early 1800s (3)

• Galvanometer – “An instrument used to detect, measure, and determine the direction of small electric currents by means of mechanical effects produced by a current-carrying coil in a magnetic field.” (Souce:http:/dictionary.reference.com/search?

q=galvanometer)

• In 1838, Matteucci used one to show that bioelectricity is connected with muscular contraction (1)

• 1842 – demonstrated the existence of the action potential accompanying a frog’s muscle

Picture Source: http://perso.club-internet.fr/dspt/spirales.htm

Emil Du Bois-Reymond (1818-1896)

• 1848 – first to detect electrical activity in voluntary muscle contractions of man (3)

• Had subjects place fingers in saline solution

• Removed skin to reduce transfer resistance (1)

• Detected signal through electrodes connected to galvanometer when subjects contracted muscles

TAKE THAT!!!

Guillaume Duchenne (1806-1875)

• 1850 – applied electric stimulation to intact skeletal muscles (4).

• Interested in medical electricity for therapeutic purposes. (5)

• Systematically mapped out functions of nearly every facial muscle (3)

• Worked often with “the old man” who had little feeling in his face. (6)

Picture Source: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html

WARNING!

The following picture is graphic in nature and may not be suitable for all

audiences. Children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with weak

sphincters are strongly cautioned.

Picture Source: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html

Picture Source: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html

Picture Source: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html

Picture Source: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html

Picture Source: http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html

Duchenne also discovered some rather surprising

information.

• The muscles around the eyes are only active during a genuine smile.

• An insincere smile involves only the muscles of the mouth. (6)

• So, everyone can tell when you’re faking it.

Other Notables

• Knowledge of EMG developed as fast as technology could keep up.

• The term electromyography comes from Etienne Marey, who modified Lippman’s capillary electrometer (1876) as one of his many contributions to kinesiology. (1)

• It was used, much like his sphygmograph, to provide a graphic representation of a beating heart. (1)

Other Notables

• Forbes et al. were probably the first to use floating electrodes on a moving body.

• They used them to record EMG signals in elephants. (1)

• Forbes also used a CRT to amplify action potentials. (1)

• Willem Einthoven made a string galvanometer in 1903 and won the Nobel Prize for it. (1)

• It uses a thin conductor wire placed between two magnets.

Picture Source: http://www.njit.edu/old/bme/Classes/Mr.Bergen/BME687/BME687%20-%20Electrodes.pdf

Modern Floating Electrode

Other Notables

• Adrian and Bronk developed the concentric needle electrode in 1929. (1)

• Used it primarily for researching motor control and muscle schemes. (1)

• Enabled detection in individual and small groups of muscle fibers. (4)

• Hypodermic needle with insulated wire in its barrel (4).

Picture Source: http://www.nihonkohden.com/products/supplies/emg-electrodes.html

Herbert Jasper (1906-1999)

• • Constructed the first electromyograph from 1942-44 at McGill University (Montreal Neurological Institute) (1).

• Also created a unipolar needle electrode. (4)

• Used his instruments to perform groundbreaking work with epilepsy and neurology and is a member of the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame(http://www.cdnmedhall.org)

John Basmajian• 1962 – Basmajian compiles all of the known

information about EMG. (4)• Also created fine-wire electrodes (7) that

were more comfortable than needles and could be used longer. (8)

• The book Muscles Alive becomes an invaluable tool in the field and is updated through five editions, the last Carlo De Luca.

• Founded International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology, ISEK, in 1965. (9)

• ISEK worked to create standards for EMG usage and reporting.

Picture Source: http://www.vulvodynia.com/about.htm

Carlo J. De Luca

• Probably the most influential person in recent EMG history.

• Wrote the oft-cited paper “The Use of Surface Electromyography in Biomechanics.” (10)

• Cautioned against failing to understand EMG’s limitations. (10)

Picture Source: http://nmrc.bu.edu/fac_staff/director/

“Electromyography is a seductive muse because it provides easy

access to physiological processes that cause the muscle to generate

force, produce movement, and accomplish the countless

functions that allow us to interact with the world around us…To its detriment, electromyography is

too easy to use and consequently too easy to abuse.” (10)

Our EMG System• In the Biomechanics Lab we are currently using a

MyoSystem 2000 by Noraxon.• “Our internationally known patent-protected

technology incorporates a signal processing technique that overcomes interference known as artifact in a signal. The result is a scientifically reliable surface assessment of dynamic muscle activity. This patent-protected signal processing technology is contained in all of our surface electromyography (SEMG) instrumentation and is recognized as the standard of excellence worldwide.” (Source: www.noraxon.com)

MyoSystem 2000

• Older version of the new 1400A.• Tethered system using bipolar electrodes.• New version offers USB 2.0 compatibility, thinner

lightweight cables, and selectable bandwidths for surface or fine-wire electrode use.

Source: www.noraxon.com

Blue Sensor Electrodes• Highly conductive

wet gel• Superior adhesion• Comfortable foam

backing• Unique offset concept• High quality Ag/AgCl

sensor• Oblong shape for

easy placement (juvenile)

Juvenile

Adult

Source: www.ambuUSA.com

Other Manufacturers of EMG

• NeuroDyne Medical Corporation• The Prometheus Group• Electronic Engineering Corporation• Motion Lab Systems, Inc. – makes equipment and

software, including a package that is compatible with Vicon Clinical Manager and enables Vicon to display raw EMG data. (http://www.emgsrus.com)

• There are numerous other manufacturers as well.

Current Studies Using EMG

• “The effect of internal versus external focus of attention on EMG activity during basketball free-throws”

• “Effects of focus of attention on take-off and landing strategies”

• Both studies are using EMG to help assess the effects of attention focus on muscle activity.

• Also, David Groh’s thesis will compare EMG activity in throwing versus Thera-Band use.

Questions?

References1. Medved, V. (2001). Measurement of human locomotion. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

2. Clarys, J. P. (1994). Electrology and localized electrization revisited. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 4, 5-14.

3. Cram, J. R., and Durie, M. D. (In press). The history of muscle dysfunction and SEMG. Journal of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. Retrieved February 28, 2004 from www.semg.org.

4. Basmajian, J. V. (1978). Muscles alive: Their functions revealed by electromyography. 4th ed Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.

5. Licht, S. (1971). History of electrodiagnosis. In S. Licht (ed.), Electrodiagnosis and electromyography. New Haven, CT: Elizabeth Licht, Publisher.

6. Katz, E. Retrieved March 9, 2004 from http://chem.ch.huji.ac.il/~eugeniik/history/duchenne.html.

7. Basmajian, J. V., and Stecko, G. (1962). A new bipolar electrode for electromyography: Journal of Applied Physiology. 17, 849.

8. Whittle, M. W. (1999). Gait analysis: An introduction. 2nd ed. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

9. The history of ISEK. Retrieved March 9, 2004 from http://isek.bu.edu.

10. De Luca, C. J. (1997). The use of surface electromyography in biomechanics. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 13, 135-163.

Other ResourcesAminoff, M. J. (1978). Electromyography in clinical practice. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing.

Dainty, D. A., and Norman, R. W. (eds.) (1987). Standardizing biomechanical testing in sport. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Publishers.

Enoka, R. M. (1988). Neuromechanical basis of kinesiology. (2nd ed.) Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Kleissen, R. F. M., Buurke, J. H., Harlaar, J., and Zilvold, G. (1998). Electromyography in the biomechanical analysis of human movement and its clinical application. Gait and Posture, 8, 143-158.

Latash, M. L. (1993). Control of human movement. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Latash, M. L., and Zatsiorsky, V. M. (eds.) (2001). Classics in movement science. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Loeb, G. E., and Gans, C. (1986). Electromyography for Experimentalists. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.