Electromyography patterns at professional sportsmen

Abstract

Objective. The aim of our research was to evaluate the electromyography (EMG) activity for all studied sport categories (handball, volleyball and fence), to compare the results and to identify a specific electromyography profile, very important for its contribution to a correct selection of athletes and training programme application, so, to emphasize the differences between tested sport disciplines.
Material and method. The studied lot was composed of 18 professional sportsmen, six handball players, six volleyball sportsmen and six fencers active in one of the studied sports, for at least 5 years, characterized by homogeneity of average ages, heights, weights and training regime. Surface EMG was measured to all athletes, at the same time with the mechanogram, during maxim isometric contractions, performed by hand fingers flexors muscles, till fatigue, obtained by squeezing a force traductor with right and left hand, succesively. We recorded the muscular biopotentials, using surface electrodes (BIOPAC) made from silver, the measuring was made simultaneously on EMG BIOPAC MP 150 two channles connected to a PC Pentium IV, were used three electrodes, two active electrodes for each channel and a reference one placed on the distal extremity of the forearm.
Results. The frequency parameters showed superior values for voleyball players, the handball athletes presented the highest values for most of the mechanogram parameters, while fencers recorded the highest values for indexes like intercept, slope, percent variation, regarding time and mixed parameters.
Conclusions. Electromyography profiles have a significant role for professional sportsmen correct selection, for improving performances, thus, being a coach guide, very useful to individualize the programmes training according to each athletes feature, in order to obtain an efficient training and great performances.

Key words:

professional sportsmen, electromyography profile, handball, volleyball, fence