Abstract
The relative contribution of the vastus medialis muscle to total isometric knee extension torque at four different knee flexion angles (10, 30, 60 en 90°) was investigated. At each knee angle, in ten healthy male subjects, the surface EMG was obtained during voluntary submaximal [20%) contractions and maximal knee extension torque was established using femoral nerve stimulation. Subsequently, the vastus medialis muscle was functionally eliminated by selective electrical surface stimulation. Following vastus medialis elimination, total knee extension torque during maximal femoral nerve stimulation decreased by about 25% which was similar among knee angles (p>0.05). In addition, during the submaximal voluntary contractions the increases in EMG of the other quadriceps muscle heads, compensating for the loss of vastus medialis function, were also similar (p>0.05) among knee angles. It was concluded that the vastus medialis muscle had a similar contribution to total knee extension torque over the range (10-90°) of knee angles studied.
Translated title of the contribution | Relative contribution of vastus medialis muscle to total isometric knee extension torque is independent of knee angle |
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Original language | Dutch |
Pages (from-to) | 20-26 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Sport en Geneeskunde. The Flemish/Dutch Journal of Sports Medicine |
Volume | 42 |
Issue number | 3 |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2009 |
Keywords
- Electrical stimulation
- EMG
- Fatigue
- Ischemia