The flexor function of the m. pronator teres in man: a quantitative electromyographic study

The muscle pronator teres was studied by surface electromyography during elbow flexion in a horizontal plane. The forearm was in semi-pronation and movement was performed at various velocities. A quantitative comparison was made between pronator teres activity and two main elbow flexors, biceps brachii and brachioradialis. The mean timing of the onset of activity was constant: biceps brachii was activated first followed by pronator teres and brachioradialis, and the lower the velocity of flexion, the earlier was the onset of biceps brachii activity. There was a linear relationship between the integrated EMG from each muscle and the work done. However, this relationship was less exact for pronator teres and brachioradialis at low values of work, a finding which opens questions about the generality of this relationship and about the "muscle equivalent" concept. Pronator teres appears to participate in elbow flexion besides its role in pronation. Despite similar anatomical peculiarities, pronator teres does not behave in the same way as anconaeus or popliteus and, above all, it is not the sole muscle active in slow movement. Thus, all the stocky muscles lying close to an articulation do not behave in the same way.