Finger-specific flexor recruitment in humans: depiction by exercise-enhanced MRI

To evaluate the spatial distribution of human forearm musculature stressed by finger-specific exercise, magnetic resonance imaging was performed in conjunction with exercise protocols designed to separately stress the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus. These muscles were shown to consist of subvolumes selectively recruited by flexion of the individual fingers. Knowledge of the finger-specific regions of muscle recruitment during finger flexion could improve sampling accuracy in electromyography, biopsy, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and invasive vascular sampling studies of hand exercise.