Technical Aspects of Surface Electromyography for Clinicians

Abstract

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a measure of the electrical potential present on the skin in consequence of a muscle contraction. This voltage is detected by electrodes placed on the skin. Under certain limitations, when a proper protocol for electrode placement is used, the voltage measured on the skin can be related to the activity of a single specific muscle. The signal is represented as a trace that develops during time, increasing from zero up to tenths or hundreds of microvolts as the muscle becomes activated.