Surface Electromyography Spectral Parameters for the Study of Muscle Fatigue in Swimming

Luca Puce; Ilaria Pallecchi; Lucio Marinelli; Laura Mori; Marco Bove; Daniele Diotti; Piero Ruggeri; Emanuela Faelli; Filippo Cotellessa; Carlo Trompetto

doi:10.3389/fspor.2021.644765

Surface Electromyography Spectral Parameters for the Study of Muscle Fatigue in Swimming

Front Sports Act Living. 2021 Feb 19:3:644765. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2021.644765. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Luca Puce¹, Ilaria Pallecchi², Lucio Marinelli^{1

3}, Laura Mori^{1

3}, Marco Bove^{3

4}, Daniele Diotti¹, Piero Ruggeri^{4

5}, Emanuela Faelli^{4

5}, Filippo Cotellessa¹, Carlo Trompetto^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
² National Research Council (CNR), SPIN institute, Department of Physics, Genoa, Italy.
³ Department of Neuroscience, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy.
⁴ Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
⁵ Centro Polifunzionale di Scienze Motorie, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess validity, stability and sensitivity, of 4 spectral parameters-median frequency (F_med), mean frequency (F_mean), Dimitrov index (DI), and mean instant frequency (F_mi)-in measuring localized muscle fatigue in swimming and to investigate their correlation with the variations of kinematic data and mechanical fatigue. Electrophysiological measures of muscle fatigue were obtained in real-time during a 100 m front crawl test at maximum speed in 15 experienced swimmers, using surface electromyography in six muscles employed in front crawl, while kinematic data of swimming was measured from video analysis. Mechanical fatigue was measured as the difference between muscle strength prior to and immediately after the 100 m front crawl in a dry-land multi-stage isometric contraction test. Statistically significant fatigue (p < 0.0001) was found for all spectral parameters in all muscles. F_med and F_mean varied between 10 and 25%, DI between 50 and 150%, and F_mi between 5 and 10%. Strong correlation (Pearson r ≥ 0.5) with mechanical fatigue was found for all spectral parameters except for F_mi and it was strongest for F_med and F_mean. From our study, it turns out that F_med and F_mean are more valid and stable parameters to measure fatigue in swimming, while DI is more sensitive.

Keywords: electromyography; fatigue; master swimmers; spectral parameters; swimming; video analysis.