The size index as a motor unit identifier in electromyography examined by numerical calculation

A computer simulation was performed to investigate the size index as a motor unit identifier in electromyography. The size index calculated from the amplitude and area of the simulated motor unit action potential (MUP) was plotted against the distance between the needle electrode and current source to show how the index changes as a function of the distance. The index of the MUP also was plotted against the number of muscle fibers belonging to a single motor unit, the size of the motor unit territory, and the diameter of the muscle fibers in order to establish the major determinants of the index. The index was relatively constant for the distance less than 2 mm between the needle electrode and closest edge of the current source. It changed logarithmically with the number of muscle fibers and with the diameter of the fibers.