Questions to ask When Interpreting Surface Electromyography (SEMG) Research

Abstract

Surface electromyography (SEMG) is widely used to evaluate muscle activity. In SEMG, researchers attach electrodes to the surface of the skin overlying a muscle and measure the amount of electricity it produces as muscle fibers contract. SEMG can determine which muscles are active, their degree of activity, and how active the muscle is compared to the subject's capacity. It can also be used to estimate muscle force. Properly employed, SEMG assists in evaluating the relative risk of a work task. As articles reporting SEMG results are often used by ergonomics practitioners as guidance in job design, the ability to interpret SEMG research is critical. Problems occur when researchers assume their readers have a greater familiarity with SEMG than actually exists, or when they make any of a number of SEMG-related research or interpretation errors. This paper suggests some questions that should be asked when evaluating a study that reports SEMG data.