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Introduction to Surface Electromyography

Electromyography (EMG) is a medical technique used to monitor the electrical activity created by skeletal muscles. Surface electromyography (SEMG) is used to monitor the electrical activity found in muscles that are located closer to the surface of the skin.

  1. Applications

    • Neurologists, physical therapists and other medical professionals may perform surface EMG procedures to detect neuromuscular or neurological conditions within patients. Other applications of surface electromyography might include those related to physical therapy, chiropractics, urology and biomechanics. Patients might undergo SEMG procedures for purposes of relaxation, stress assessment or headache treatment.

    Procedure

    • Clinical professionals use electrodes to capture SEMG signals delivered from patients' surface muscles. They then amplify those signals and send them to a decoder instrument, which in turn sends them to a computer to be processed and analyzed. Many professional medical organizations consider the use of SEMG to be experimental.

    Preparation

    • The electrodes used in surface electromyography should be placed directly on a patient's skin. The electrodes should also be placed along the lines of muscle fibers. Some clinicians use a conductive electrode to hold electrodes to the skin, but this is optional.

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