Indices reflecting muscle contraction performance during exercise based on a combined electromyography and mechanomyography approach.

Electromyography (EMG) and mechanomyography (MMG) have been used to directly evaluate muscle function through the electromechanical aspect of muscle contraction. The purpose of this study was to establish new absolute indices to describe muscle contraction performance during dynamic exercise by combining EMG and displacement MMG (dMMG) measured simultaneously using our previously developed MMG/EMG hybrid transducer system. Study participants were eight healthy male non-athletes (controls) and eight male athletes.

Effectiveness of impedance parameters for muscle quality evaluation in healthy men.

We investigated the relationship between impedance parameters and skeletal muscle function in the lower extremities, as well as the effectiveness of impedance parameters in evaluating muscle quality. Lower extremity impedance of 19 healthy men (aged 23-31 years) measured using the direct segmental multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis were arc-optimized using the Cole-Cole model, following which phase angle (PA), [Formula: see text], and β were estimated. Skeletal muscle function was assessed by muscle thickness, muscle intensity, and isometric knee extension force (IKEF).

Walking speed affects instrumental activities of daily living in patients with hip osteoarthritis.

Background: The symptoms of hip osteoarthritis (OA) influence instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Evidence form previous studies suggest that body functions and walking speed are important etiological factors for IADL. However, no studies have investigated which factors that have the greatest influence on IADL.