Int J Sports Med 2009; 30(7): 533-537
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1202352
Orthopedics & Biomechanics

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Relationship between the MRI and EMG Measurements

J. Kubota 1 , T. Ono 2 , M. Araki 3 , N. Tawara 4 , S. Torii 5 , T. Okuwaki 4 , T. Fukubayashi 5
  • 1Sport Science Research Center, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
  • 2Graduate School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
  • 3Sports Science Department, Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, Kita-ku, Japan
  • 4Sports Medicine Department, Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, Kita-ku, Japan
  • 5Faculty of Sports Science, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision December 31, 2008

Publication Date:
19 March 2009 (online)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of intensive eccentric exercise on hamstring muscles by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to elucidate the relationships between the changes in the electromyographic (EMG) parameters and in the transverse relaxation time (T2) of the hamstring muscles. Seven male volunteers performed eccentric knee flexion exercise, and the EMG activity of the hamstring muscles was simultaneously measured. Before and immediately after the exercise, the maximum isometric knee flexion torque was measured and MR images of the hamstring muscles were obtained. For all hamstring muscles, the EMG activity of the fifth set was significantly lower than that of the first set. For each subject, a significant correlation was detected between the percentage change in the value of the post-exercise T2 value and those of EMG signals during the exercise only for the semitendinosus (ST) muscle and not for the biceps femoris (BF) and the semimembranosus (SM) muscles. These results suggested that the EMG-activity reductions in the BF, ST, and SM muscles were due to neuromuscular fatigue, and moreover the reduction in the ST muscle was due to a failure in the E-C coupling, which was caused by excessive muscle-fiber damage.

References

  • 1 Adams GR, Duvoisin MR, Dudley GA. Magnetic resonance imaging and electromyography as indexes of muscle function.  J Appl Physiol. 1992;  73 1578-1583
  • 2 Akima H, Kinugasa R, Kuno S. Recruitment of the thigh muscles during sprint cycling by muscle functional magnetic resonance imaging.  Int J Sports Med. 2005;  26 245-252
  • 3 Bajaj P, Madeleine P, Sjøgaard G, Arendt-Nielsen L. Assessment of postexercise muscle soreness by electromyography and mechanomyography.  J Pain. 2002;  3 126-136
  • 4 Clarkson PM, Hubal MJ. Exercise-induced muscle damage in humans.  Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2002;  81 S52-69
  • 5 Garrett Jr WE, Nikolaou PK, Ribbeck BM, Glisson RR, Seaber AV. The effect of muscle architecture on the biomechanical failure properties of skeletal muscle under passive extension.  Am J Sports Med. 1988;  16 7-12
  • 6 Kossev A, Christova P. Discharge pattern of human motor units during dynamic concentric and eccentric contractions.  Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1998;  109 245-255
  • 7 Koulouris G, Connell D. Imaging of hamstring injuries: therapeutic implications.  Eur Radiol. 2006;  16 1478-1487
  • 8 Kubota J, Ono T, Araki M, Torii S, Okuwaki T, Fukubayashi T. Non-uniform changes in magnetic resonance measurements of the semitendinosus muscle following intensive eccentric exercise.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007;  101 713-720
  • 9 Larsen RG, Ringgaard S, Overgaard K. Localization and quantification of muscle damage by magnetic resonance imaging following step exercise in young women.  Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2007;  17 76-83
  • 10 LeBlanc AD, Jaweed M, Evans H. Evaluation of muscle injury using magnetic resonance imaging.  Clin J Sport Med. 1993;  3 26-30
  • 11 Lindinger MI, MacKelvie RS, Heigenhauser GJ. K+ and Lac- distribution in humans during and after high-intensity exercise: role in muscle fatigue attenuation?.  J Appl Physiol. 1995;  78 765-777
  • 12 Linnamo V, Moritani T, Nicol C, Komi PV. Motor unit activation patterns during isometric, concentric and eccentric actions at different force levels.  J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2003;  13 93-101
  • 13 Mayhew JL, Prinster JL, Ware JS, Zimmer DL, Arabas JR, Bemben MG. Muscular endurance repetitions to predict bench press strength in men of different training levels.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1995;  35 108-113
  • 14 MacHugh MP, Tyler TF, Greenberg SC, Gleim GW. Differences in activation patterns between eccentric and concentric quadriceps contractions.  J Sports Sci. 2002;  20 83-91
  • 15 Morgan DL, Allen DG. Early events in stretch-induced muscle damage.  J Appl Physiol. 1999;  87 2007-2015
  • 16 Pasquet B, Carpentier A, Duchateau J, Hainaut K. Muscle fatigue during concentric and eccentric contractions.  Muscle Nerve. 2000;  23 1727-1735
  • 17 Pincivero DM, Gandhi V, Timmons MK, Coelho AJ. Quadriceps femoris electromyogram during concentric, isometric and eccentric phases of fatiguing dynamic knee extensions.  J Biomech. 2006;  39 246-254
  • 18 Sesto ME, Radwin RG, Block WF, Best TM. Anatomical and mechanical changes following repetitive eccentric exertions.  Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 2005;  20 41-49
  • 19 Woodley SJ, Mercer SR. Hamstring muscles: architecture and innervation.  Cells Tissues Organs. 2005;  179 125-141

Correspondence

J. Kubota

Sport Science Research Center

Waseda University

2-579-15 Mikajima

359-1121 Tokorozawa

Japan

Phone: +81/4/2947 68 79

Fax: +81/4/2947 68 79

Email: kubojun_1126@ruri.waseda.jp