What is surface electromyography? Surface electromyography (SEMG) is a field specializing in the use of electronic devices to measure the energy of the muscles, to analyze the data, and to display the results. Surface electromyography rests on the practitioner’s understanding of anatomy, physiology, and the instrumentation. It is an example of applied psychophysiology: the use of psychophysiological knowledge and skills in the evaluation and treatment or training of individuals presenting with psychophysiological complaints or goals. Surface electromyography is a multidisciplinary field that encompasses contributions from electronics, medicine, anatomy, physiology, psychology, psychophysiology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, ergonomics, and so forth.
Surface EMG has many applications, including assessment, treatment planning, evaluation of progress and outcomes, rehabilitation, worksite ergonomic design, sports training, and research. This technology helps differentiate between beliefs about muscle function and actual function, and is used in evaluation and rehabilitation. Surface electromyography is used with patients and clients by physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, dental professionals, biofeedback trainers, stress management consultants, corporate safety consultants, sports psychologists, arts medicine practitioners, ergonomics consultants, and somatics educators/practitioners, among others. The feedback provided by this technique works best when combined with other therapies. Regardless of how SEMG is being used, a solid foundation in the principles of SEMG is necessary to be effective.
There were 14 chapters in the first edition of this book; there are 17 chapters in this second edition. In the second edition, 13 of the original chapters, the SEMG atlas, and the appendices remain. Chapter 14, “Surface Electromyography Past, Present, and Future,” has been rewritten to reflect progress in the field. New chapters by Jeffrey R. Cram, Maya Durie, Eleanor Criswell, and Marek Jantos have been added as well. An emphasis on somatics has been included in the second edition at Jeffrey Cram’s request.
Part I provides information on the basics of surface electromyography, including the history of SEMG; the advantages and disadvantages of SEMG; anatomy and physiology; instrumentation; electrodes and site selection strategies; general assessment considerations; static assessment and clinical protocol; emotional assessment and clinical protocol; dynamic assessment; treatment considerations and protocols; and documentation. Part II features chapters titled “The History of Muscle Dysfunction and Surface Electromyography” by Jeffrey R. Cram and Maya Durie, “Somatics and Surface Electromyography” by Eleanor Criswell, “Electromyographic Assessment of Female Pelvic Floor Disorders” by Marek Jantos, “Surface Electromyography Past, Present, and Future” by Eleanor Criswell, and the conclusion. Part III features the Atlas for Electrode Placement developed by Jeffrey R. Cram and Glenn S. Kasman with Jonathan Holtz, the electrode atlas overview, and electrode placements for key muscles. An expanded glossary of terms appears at the back of the book; the answers to the chapter questions can also be found there. The cornerstone of this book remains the electrode atlas found in Part III. “Knowing the map of the territory—where to place the surface electromyography (SEMG) electrodes and what to expect to see during a given movement—will greatly assist the practitioner in understanding the energy that the muscle gives off.”2 (p. xiii) The atlas of electrode placement covers 69 electrode placement sites. Along with illustrations showing electrode placement sites, information is provided about each muscle in question: its action or purpose, clinical uses (such as for specific presenting complaints), origin and insertions of the muscle, innervation of the muscle (nerve supply to the muscle), as well as information on joint considerations, location of electrodes, behavioral tests to determine the type of placement (general or specific), the accuracy of the electrode placement, comments about the tracings, volume conduction, other sites of interest, possible artifacts, and benchmark measures. Surface EMG tracings, photographs, tables, graphs, and drawings throughout the book demonstrate the concepts under discussion. The discoveries by Cram, Kasman, and others are highly useful gems scattered throughout the book.
Since the first edition of this book was published, a tremendous amount of research has been conducted using surface EMG. This research has taken place all over the world (see Chapter 14). In these studies, many aspects of human behavior have been assessed using SEMG, including work performance, sports performance, rehabilitation, and movement analysis. The second edition reflects that research.
Who can benefit from Cram’s Introduction to Surface Electromyography? Designed to introduce the reader to the principles and practices of SEMG, this book is suited to both beginners in the field—upper-division university students, master’s and PhD students, beginning professionals, and educated laypersons—and advanced professionals who want to deepen their SEMG knowledge. This book will prove useful for physical therapists, occupational therapists, biofeedback trainers, behavioral medicine practitioners, psychologists, dentists, chiropractors, biomedical engineers, exercise physiologists, and complementary and alternative medicine practitioners. The reader who learns more about SEMG will be more effective in his or her work.
Physical and occupational therapists will benefit greatly from SEMG objective measures that can show chronic muscle contractions, postural difficulties, inadequate activation of muscles, and the like. They have a great need for such data in their assessments, evaluations of patient progress, and discharge planning. In situations where objective data are highly valued, such as with third-party payers, SEMG recordings are invaluable. Nevertheless, the information in this book is useful regardless of whether the reader plans to use SEMG directly or indirectly in his or her work. This modality is an important means of gathering data about human functioning: it offers a clear measure of the mind-body connection. The SEMG data are particularly understandable because people are used to contracting muscles to engage in movements to achieve their goals. For this reason, SEMG is finding a home in mind-body medicine. Surface electromyography is valuable for somatics educators of all disciplines who seek a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection, for the training of somatics practitioners/educators, and as a means of enhancing the effectiveness of the somatics approaches.
For somatics educators using SEMG, it is valuable to see what is happening inside the client during somatics practices; for SEMG biofeedback practitioners, it is valuable to use the somatics disciplines to complement the adjunctive procedures, such as progressive relaxation, that are typically employed. Although the use of SEMG equipment can be learned through manuals and online instructions, the reader is strongly urged to get thorough training in the use of SEMG through an established training program with highly trained, experienced SEMG professionals in the field. Certification by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America in general biofeedback, which includes SEMG, is important for using this technology in a clinical setting.
Accuracy in SEMG recordings is essential. The old computer-related saying, “Garbage in, garbage out,” is very apt here. In other words, if the recordings are not accurate, the data will not be accurate. Reliability and validity of the data are always important. Inaccurate data are always worse than worthless, because the practitioner and the patient may draw conclusions from the data that are not warranted. Accuracy is particularly important in SEMG research. Research design and description of the procedures, equipment, data gathered, conclusions, and so forth need to allow for replication. This book provides detailed step-by-step methods for ensuring accurate SEMG recordings.
The reader already knowledgeable about SEMG may want to read those sections that are most relevant to his or her needs first; those new to the field may wish to start at the beginning. Another approach is to begin with the instrumentation chapter, practice using the equipment, and then go on to acquire more detailed knowledge from the chapters devoted to anatomy and physiology, neurophysiology, and the like over time, reading the rest of the chapters in Part I and referring to Part III as needed. For continued SEMG study, a variety of professional training programs and university-based programs include SEMG as part of their general biofeedback offerings. (Contact the Association of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback [AAPB] and the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America [BCIA] for information about relevant programs.)
The term patient is used throughout this book, except in Chapter 12, because SEMG is most commonly used in rehabilitation and other medical settings. The term client is used in the “Somatics and Surface Electromyography” chapter because in the somatics world the participant is called a client and the practitioner is called an educator or practitioner. Somatics is a client-centered educational process. Many biofeedback (SEMG) settings are client centered as well.
The SEMG field continues to have enormous potential. The professionals and organizations that serve it continue to expand the knowledge, skills, and application areas through professional meetings, journals, seminars, conferences, and networking. For example, SEMG research has appeared in more than 42 journals worldwide in the last 10 years. Key organizations in the field are the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB) (the Surface EMG Society of North America is now the Surface EMG division of AAPB), the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe, and the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology (ISEK) (formerly the International Society of Electromyography and Kinesiology).
Surface electromyography is an exciting and growing field with huge potential for teaching people how to grow healthily; age successfully; take care of neuromuscular complaints that develop over time due to accident, injury, illness, repetitive use, and the like; and actualize more of their somatic potential for optimal performance. Manufacturers of SEMG equipment can be found throughout the world. Research, clinical applications, and new technology are all fostering the growth of this field. Neuroimaging in relationship to motor performance is a valuable development in the understanding of SEMG. Telemetry systems and other technological innovations will continue to expand what is possible with SEMG and its contribution to enhanced human functioning.
Key Features
- Provides a comprehensive introduction to surface electromyography.
- Features a detailed electrode atlas with illustrations of 68 electrode placement sites
- Includes helpful “quick reference” items throughout the text.
- Addresses the growing uses for surface electromyography.
- Includes data from the latest research studies on the use of SEMG in work performance,
- sports performance, rehabilitation, and movement analysis.
Contents
Part I The Basics of Surface Electromyography By Jeffrey R. Cram and Glenn S. Kasman
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Anatomy and Physiology
- Chapter 3 Instrumentation
- Chapter 4 Electrodes and Site Selection Strategies
- Chapter 5 General Assessment Considerations
- Chapter 6 Static Assessment and Clinical Protocol
- Chapter 7 Emotional Assessment and Clinical Protocol
- Chapter 8 Dynamic Assessment
- Chapter 9 Treatment Considerations and Protocols
- Chapter 10 Documentation
Part II Surface Electromyography: Past, Present and Future
- Chapter 11 The History of Muscle Dysfunction and Surface Electromyography By J. R. Cram and M. Durie
- Chapter 12 Somatics and Surface Electromyography By Eleanor Criswell
- Chapter 13 Electromyographic Assessment of Female Pelvic Floor Disorders By Marek Jantos
- Chapter 14 Surface Electromyography Past, Present, and Future By Eleanor Criswell
- Chapter 15 Conclusion By Jeffrey R. Cram, Glenn S. Kasman, and Eleanor Criswell
Part III Atlas for Electrode Placement By Jeffrey R. Cram and Glenn S. Kasman with Jonathan Holtz
- Chapter 16 Electrode Atlas Overview
- Chapter 17 Electrode Placements
Appendices
- Appendix A Glossary of Terms
- Appendix B Answers to Chapter Questions
About the Author
- Eleanor Criswell, EdD-Director, Novato Institute for Somatic Research and Training, Professor Emeritus, Sonoma State University.
Product Details
- Paperback: 500 pages
- Publisher: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC; 2 edition (2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0763732745
- ISBN-13: 978-0763732745
- Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
List Price: $104.95