Muscle activity in sprinting: a review.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Science
• Human Movement Analysis

Background:

• Surface electromyography (sEMG) is crucial for analyzing muscle activation during athletic movements.
• Understanding muscle activation patterns in sprinting is key for performance enhancement and injury prevention.
• Previous research has explored sEMG in various biomechanical contexts, but its application in sprinting faces specific challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the primary muscles analyzed using sEMG during sprinting.
• To examine the activation timing and patterns of these muscles.
• To identify the technologies employed for sEMG data acquisition in sprinting studies.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted using keywords like 'Electromyography', 'EMG', 'running', and 'sprinting'.
• Inclusion criteria were applied to select relevant articles from electronic databases.
• A total of 18 articles were included in this review.

Main Results:

• The majority of sEMG studies in sprinting focus on leg muscles, particularly the upper leg (over 70%).
• Tethered and data logging EMG systems, often used with treadmill-based sprints, influence the muscles analyzed.
• A limited number of studies have utilized sEMG in sprinting due to historical system constraints.

Conclusions:

• Surface electromyography is a valuable tool for analyzing sprinting biomechanics.
• Current sEMG applications in sprinting are constrained by technology, often leading to treadmill-based analysis and a focus on specific muscle groups.
• Advancements in wireless EMG technology are anticipated to facilitate more studies on high-velocity movements like sprinting in ecologically valid settings.