The relationship between mean power frequency of the EMG spectrum and muscle fibre conduction velocity.

Models of the behaviour of the surface EMG signal during fatigue have assumed that there is a linear relationship between the mean power frequency of the EMG spectrum and muscle fibre conduction velocity. They attribute the fall in mean power frequency during fatigue to a proportionate fall in fibre velocity. Experiments have been performed on human vastus lateralis in which forces ranging from 10% to 90% of the maximum force were sustained for times such that the product of the target force and the time was constant. Muscle fibre conduction velocity was estimated using a cross-correlation technique to determine the lag between two EMG signals. The results confirmed the linearity between mean power frequency and fibre velocity. It is still possible, however, that other factors such as de- and recruitment of fibres and change in motor unit firing rates contribute to the fall in mean power frequency during fatigue. Even if these factors are important, the primary assumption of current EMG models relating mean power frequency and muscle fibre velocity has been confirmed.