Understanding sEMG
Psychophysiology
Psychological stress is often accompanied by muscular tension as well as head, neck, shoulder, and lower back pain.
Classical conditioning of tension and pain:
– Pain leads to reflexive muscle tension and increased sympathetic activation. Due to the increased muscle tension and activation, the pain is further intensified or even trigg
Biofeedback as...
General relaxation training and stress management strategy
A targeted technique to influence poor posture, muscular imbalances, and increased muscle tension in specific muscle groups
Primary goal: Emphasizing self-initiative and self-regulation capabilities, and reducing helplessness, fear of movement, and avoidance or protective beh
It should be noted that biofeedback has received a new lease of “sporting life” via its increasing application to the development of technical expertise. EMG biofeedback is increasingly used to aid the development and fine tuning of technique, especially when an optimum pattern has been identified
Likewise, there are several important questions in EMG biofeedback applications for which there are no clear answers, among them: For how long and how quickly must one be able to lower or raise EMG activity (for example, in our approach athletes can change their EMG activity to 0.6pV during 1 min)? How many EMG training sessions must be held‘?For e
... See moreIndications in the Motor System
Tension headaches
Cervical syndrome
Temporomandibular dysfunction
(dysregulation of muscle and jaw functions)Bruxism (teeth grinding)
Back pain
Urinary and fecal incontinence
Postural disorders of the musculoskeletal system
Muscle tics
Writer’s cramp
Spastic paralysis
Neuromuscular rehabilitation in cases of paresis and spinal
For example, nearly 60% of the studies reviewed by Zaichkowsky and Fuchs (1988) that ex- amined the effect of EMG biofeedback reported positive effects on performance. However,thereviewsof Petruzzello,Landers,and Salazar(1991)andCollins(1995
Muscle feedback. An electrornyograph (EMG) is used to detect and measure muscle activity. Once detected, the electrical activity of the target muscle, or muscles, is displayed (fed back) to the individual. The individual then tries to modify the EMG signal in the appropriate direction by relaxing tense muscles or activating muscles that are injured
... See moreIn our research and practice, we use EMG training together with relaxation and imagery. This usually lasts about 20 min, during which the athlete is connected to the EMG feedback system and is able to fulfill the task of controlling EMG level