Relationships between muscle lactate accumulation and surface EMG activities during isokinetic contractions in man

In order to investigate the relationship between metabolic state and myoelectrical activity in working muscle during short term intense exercise, eleven healthy males performed isokinetic knee extensions at an angular velocity of 180 deg X sec-1 for 30 and 60 s. The median frequency (MF) of the surface electromyogram (EMG) recorded from vastus lateralis was decreased while the time lag of torque production after the onset of electrical activity (EMD) was increased during exercise. These changes (MF and EMD) corresponded well to muscle lactate accumulation in the same muscle. Over the exercise period, the integrated EMG/knee extension peak torque ratio (E/T ratio) was increased, which indicated a decrease in the efficiency of electrical activity. It was concluded that the changes in the frequency components of the EMG and in the contractile property of the muscle during short term intense exercise correlated with lactate accumulation in the identical muscle, and that the decrease in efficiency of the electrical activity in the muscle suggested peripheral fatigue.