Muscular tenderness evaluated by surface EMG frequency analysis of isometric contractions

Myoelectric power spectrum analysis was used to compare muscular activity in the masseter and anterior temporal muscles between patients with tender masseter muscles and healthy controls. Surface EMG was recorded for 28 patients and nine controls while they were biting on a bite force transducer during a period of 10-15 s up to maximal effort (100% MVC). The mean frequency (MF) was calculated as a single estimate of the myoelectric power spectrum. Regression analyses of MF's for the masseter muscles versus the force level 0-60% MVC showed significantly less steep slopes of regression for the patients compared interindividually with the controls. As regards the anterior temporal muscles there was no significant difference between groups. One explanation for the difference in MF's for the masseter muscles between patients and controls is that the patients suffered an inhibition or difficulty in recruiting motor units. Different firing rate properties for motor units at high force levels (60-100% MVC) could be one reason for a significantly smaller decrease in MF for the patients' elevator muscles than for the controls.