Evaluation of upper limb muscle fatigue based on surface electromyography

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Biomedical Engineering
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Operator fatigue is a significant risk factor for occupational injuries in machine operation.
• Accurate measurement of operator fatigue is essential for injury prevention.
• Existing fatigue measurement techniques may lack accuracy or usability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel method for evaluating local muscle fatigue in the upper limb.
• To assess the relationship between surface electromyography (sEMG) and subjective fatigue ratings.
• To establish a reliable tool for measuring muscle fatigue during machine operation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized surface electromyography (sEMG) of the biceps brachii to record muscle activity.
• Employed the Borg scale for subjective assessment of local muscle fatigue.
• Analyzed sEMG data using the one-third band octave method.
• Derived an equation based on sEMG and Borg scale data to quantify fatigue.

Main Results:

• A significant relationship was identified between sEMG variables and Borg scale ratings.
• This relationship was mathematically described by a conic curve equation.
• The derived equation demonstrated potential for evaluating muscle fatigue.

Conclusions:

• The novel sEMG and Borg scale method provides a viable approach to measure upper limb muscle fatigue.
• This technique can be applied to assess fatigue in machine operators, aiding in injury prevention.
• Further research can refine this method for broader occupational applications.