Agonism and Antagonism of the Muscles of the Elbow Joint: An SEMG Approach

Biofeedback ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 89-94
Author(s):  
Gabriel E. Sella

The relationship among the muscles of any joint such as the elbow joint reflects the range of motion energy expenditure of these muscles. It can be fairly stated that SEMG (surface electromyography) is a technology that enables the measurements of any muscle range of motion (ROM) and the synergism (agonism) and antagonism relationships among these muscles. The magnitude of the amplitude potentials of any motion of any muscle is relevant in the assessment of the total energy expenditure for any given motion in ergonomic terms and in clinical terms. The joints function best in terms of effectiveness and efficiency when any motion is performed with the least effort at the least fatigue potential. SEMG permits the measurement of the energy expenditure. Aside from the actual energy used, the relationships of any two muscles of the joint during the range of motion can be assessed in terms of correlation coefficients, thus enabling the clinician or ergonomist to evaluate the synergism or antagonism of the muscles in question for the ROM tested. Understanding the magnitude of the agonism and antagonism is highly relevant in ergonomics as well as in the process of rehabilitation of the muscles of any joint.

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giancarlo Condello ◽  
Laura Capranica ◽  
Silvia Migliaccio ◽  
Roberta Forte ◽  
Angela Di Baldassarre ◽  
...  

The relationship between aging and perception of health and quality of life is complex and its mediation mechanisms need to be further explored. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effects of total energy expenditure and intake, body mass, and body image dissatisfaction on the relationship between age and perception of health and quality of life. Forty-two senior athletes, 55 physically active, and 61 sedentary individuals (aged 55–84 years) were evaluated for total energy expenditure (EE), energy intake (EI), body mass index (BMI), absolute Body Dissatisfaction Index (BDIabx), and physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) health and quality of life perception. Multiple mediation analyses were applied to assess the relationship between age and PCS and MCS indices, through the mediators EE, EI, BMI, and BDIabx. For MCS, but not for PSC, the mediation analysis showed: (a) a direct effect of age; (b) a mediation path through EE, EI, BMI, and BDIabx; and (c) a positive total effect. The combination of positive and negative mediating effects influencing the mental health perception underlined that with advancing age, the maintenance of high levels of energy expenditure through physical activity could positively impact body image satisfaction and, in turn, mental health.


1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Wareham ◽  
Susie J. Hennings ◽  
Christopher D. Byrne ◽  
C. Nicholas Hales ◽  
Andrew M. Prentice ◽  
...  

Previous epidemiological studies have suggested an association between low levels of physical activity, fitness and the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome. However, many studies have used subjective non-quantitative questionnaire-based methods for assessing physical activity which do not distinguish between the different dimensions of this complex exposure, and in which measurement error in the exposure has not been estimated. These deficiencies in the measurement of this exposure complicate the interpretation of the results of epidemiological studies, and consequently make it difficult to design appropriate interventions and to estimate the expected benefit which would result from intervention. In particular, it is unclear whether public health advice should be to increase total energy expenditure, or to attempt to raise fitness by recommending periods of vigorous activity. To separate the effects of fitness and total energy expenditure in the aetiology of the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome, we measured the physical activity level (PAL), defined as total energy expenditure: BMR, and fitness (maximum O2consumption (Vo2maxper kg), measured in a sub-maximal test) in a cross-sectional population-based study of 162 adults aged 30–40 years. Heart-rate monitoring with individual calibration was used to measure total energy expenditure using the HRFlex method (Ceesayet al.1989) which has been validated previously against doubly-labelled water and whole-body calorimetry. The relationship between a single measure of PAL,Vo2maxper kg and the usual or habitual level for each exposure was measured in a sub-study of twenty-two subjects who undertook four repeated measures over the course of 1 year. This study design allows the reliability coefficient to be computed, which is used to adjust the observed associations for measurement error in the exposure. Twelve men (16.4%) and sixteen women (18.0%) were defined as having one or more features of the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome. The univariate odds ratio for each increasing quartile for PAL was 0.64 (95 % CI 0.43–0.94) and was 0.49 (95 % CI 0.32–0.74) forVo2maxper kg, suggesting that the association with the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome was stronger for fitness than for PAL. However, after adjustment for obesity and sex, and correction for exposure measurement error, the odds ratio per quartile for PAL was 0.32 (95 % CI 0.13–0.83) and 0.44 (95 % CI 0.24–0.78) forVo2maxper kg. Thus, although univariate analysis would suggest that fitness has a stronger association with the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome than PAL, this conclusion is reversed once confounding and the differences in measurement error are considered. We conclude from the present study that the metabolic cardiovascular syndrome is strongly associated with reduced habitual energy expenditure. The method employed to assess the exposure in the present study demonstrates the utility of assessing a known dimension of physical activity using a physiologically-based and objective measure with repeated estimation to adjust for measurement error. Such quantitative epidemiological data provide the basis for planning and evaluating the expected benefit of population-level interventions.


1999 ◽  
Vol 84 (10) ◽  
pp. 3764-3769
Author(s):  
E. E. Blaak ◽  
M. A. van Baak ◽  
W. H. M. Saris

Abstract The effect of aging on β-adrenergically mediated substrate utilization was investigated in nine young (25.2 ± 1.7 yr old) and eight older males (52.9 ± 2.1 yr old), matched for body weight and body composition. In a first experiment, the nonselectiveβ -agonist isoprenaline (ISO) was infused in increasing standardized doses, and during each infusion period energy expenditure and substrate utilization were determined by indirect calorimetry. In a second experiment, forearm skeletal muscle metabolism was studied during a standardized infusion dose of ISO (19 ng/kg fat-free mass·min). During β-adrenergic stimulation there was an increased carbohydrate oxidation (at an ISO infusion dose of 24 ng/kg fat-free mass·min, 31% vs. 21% of total energy expenditure; P < 0.05) and a decreased fat oxidation (51 vs. 62 of total energy expenditure; P < 0.05) in older compared to young subjects. Skeletal muscle lactate release significantly increased in the older subjects (from −175 ± 32 to −366 ± 66 nmol/100 mL forearm tissue·min), whereas there was no change in young subjects (from− 32 ± 21 to 23 ± 57 nmol/100 mL forearm tissue·min; interaction group × ISO, P < 0.01). Additionally, there was a tendency toward a blunted ISO-induced increase in nonesterified fatty acid uptake in the older subjects (interaction group × ISO, P = 0.062). Thus, middle-aged subjects have a blunted ability to oxidize fat during β-adrenergic stimulation compared to young subjects. This diminished fat oxidation may be an important etiological factor in the age-related increase in body fatness and obesity by favoring fat storage above oxidation.


1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 310-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Thielecke ◽  
J. Möseneder ◽  
A. Kroke ◽  
K. Klipstein-Grobusch ◽  
H. Boeing ◽  
...  

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P Bradley ◽  
Lindsey A Johnson ◽  
Zhumin Zhang ◽  
Amy F Subar ◽  
Richard P Troiano ◽  
...  

1996 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. J. Paton ◽  
M. Elia ◽  
S. A. Jebb ◽  
G. Jennings ◽  
D. C. MacAllan ◽  
...  

1. Our objectives were to measure total energy expenditure, the daily variation in total energy expenditure and the physical activity level in a group of HIV-positive subjects using the bicarbonate-urea method. The study also aimed to assess the practicalities of using the bicarbonate-urea technique in free-living conditions. 2. Total energy expenditure was measured with the bicarbonate-urea method over 2 consecutive days (1 day in one subject) in 10 male patients with HIV infection (median CD4 count = 30). Resting energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry. Physical activity level (total energy expenditure/resting energy expenditure) was calculated from these measurements and from activity diaries. 3. Resting energy expenditure was found to be 7.46 ± 0.87 MJ/day, 5% higher than predicted values. Total energy expenditure was 10.69 ± 1.95 MJ/day with an intra-individual day-to-day variation of 6 ± 6%. The measured physical activity level was 1.42 ± 0.14, higher than the diary estimate of 1.34 ± 0.16 (P = 0.029), and there were large inter-method differences in individual values. The subcutaneous infusion of bicarbonate was well tolerated and did not seem to restrict normal activities. 4. Total energy expenditure was not elevated in the group of HIV-positive subjects when compared with reference values for normal subjects. The physical activity level of the patients in this study was lower than that measured using other techniques in healthy young men, but was compatible with that expected for people leading a sedentary lifestyle. Reductions in physical activity in patients with HIV are likely to contribute to the wasting process and physical activity level may thus be a clinically useful measure. This study has also provided the first tracer estimate of the day-to-day variation in total energy expenditure. The bicarbonate-urea method represents an important new investigative tool for measuring total energy expenditure which has previously only been possible within the confines of a whole-body calorimeter or using the expensive doubly labelled water method.


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