Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026
Determining The Electromyographic Fatigue Threshold Following a Single Visit Exercise Test
Published on: July 27, 2015
Estimating electromyographic and heart rate fatigue thresholds from a single treadmill test
Darren R Guffey1, Bruno J Gervasi, Alex A Maes
1Wayne State University, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, 259 Mack Avenue, Room 2248, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
Introduction:
The purposes of this study were to (1) develop a fatigue threshold based on electromyography (EMG) and heart rate (HR) responses for treadmill running from a single incremental test; and (2) propose a new fatigue threshold called the RV(EMGFT) and RV(HRFT).
Methods:
Eleven men performed incremental treadmill exercise to exhaustion on a single occasion. The RV(EMGFT) and RV(HRFT) were defined as the average of the highest velocity that resulted in a nonsignificant slope coefficient for the EMG amplitude versus time relationship and the lowest velocity that resulted in a significant positive slope coefficient.
Results:
There was a significant (P < 0.05) difference between the 2 thresholds [RV(EMGFT) = 11.7 ± 0.6 km/h and RV(HRFT) = 8.3 ± 0.8 km/h].
Conclusions:
The fatigue threshold for EMG amplitude and heart rate can be determined from a single incremental treadmill test, but there are differences between cardiac and neuromuscular factors of fatigue.
