Evaluation of frequency band technique in estimating muscle fatigue during dynamic contraction task

Long-time exposure to repetitive or monotonous work is associated with increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders that are due to muscle fatigue. Previously, researchers reported that muscle fatigue can be estimated using a low-frequency band of an SEMG signal. However, these studies were performed exclusively during static contraction tasks. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and determine the frequency range for a low-frequency band. In addition, the performance during dynamic contraction tasks was analyzed. A group of healthy university students (8 males) was recruited, and endurance handgrip tasks were conducted. SEMG signals were captured from the forearm muscle. The frequency range for the low-frequency band was redefined as 5 - 40 Hz. The results from a dynamic contraction task indicated that a low-frequency band is a reliable method for indexing muscle fatigue from SEMG signals.