A time-frequency approach to evaluate electromyographic recordings

Abstract

An attempt has been made to develop and test a new electromyographic (EMG) signal processing technique that may prove useful for dynamic muscle contractions. The technique described was accomplished by implementing a smoothed version of the Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD) in software. The WVD can display the frequency content of a signal as a function of time, thus utilizing all available information contained in the EMG signal. Although the EMG signal can often be considered quasi-stationary, there is important information which is transient and may only be distinguished by the WVD. The WVD was evaluated with the use of some experimental EMG data. Specifically, the soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles were studied under the specific conditions of involuntary recruitment.<>