The Impact of Participants’ Anthropometry on Muscle Activation Levels While Interacting with the Level of Expertise, Task Type, and Single Muscles

Abstract

In this research paper, we implemented a mixed factor design in order to investigate the effect of four anthropometries: height, weight, lower-arm dimensions, and upper-arm dimensions on the muscle activation level of participants when interacting with three types of moderators: experiment expertise, task type, and muscle type. The research paper focused on two levels of expertise (novice and expert), two tasks (deck-building and picket installation), and four arm muscles (Brachioradialis (BR), Extensor Carpi Ulnaris (ECU), Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR), and Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (FCU)), which resulted in 16 (2 × 2 × 4) groups. For each of the 16 groups, the data were analyzed in order to investigate the relationship between the four anthropometries and the four muscle activation levels of the participants. Amos software (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA), along with multiple group structural equation modeling, was used to test a total of 16 direct relationships, as well as the moderation effects in the designed experiment. The results show that the participants’ expertise can moderate the relationship between their height and muscle activation levels, the relationship between their weight and muscle activation levels, and the relationship between their lower arm dimensions and muscle activation levels. Moreover, the findings of this research paper demonstrate that the relationship between the lower arm dimensions and muscle activation levels, and the relationship between weight and muscle activation levels are moderated by the type of muscle used by the participants (i.e., BR, ECU, FCR, and FCU).