[Electromyographic power spectral analysis of sternocleidomastoid muscle during sustained voluntary clenching]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of the activity of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles during sustained voluntary clenching. Ten healthy male subjects without any occlusal functional problems were asked to clench as long as possible in the intercuspal position while keeping the electromyographic activity of the masseter muscle at the 50% maximum voluntary contraction. Frequency analysis was carried out by computer using a fast Fourier transform algorithm to obtain the power spectrum of the SCM muscle during the fatiguing process and the recovery process. The results were as follows: 1. Sustained activities of the SCM muscles were observed during sustained voluntary clenching. 2. The power spectra of the SCM muscles significantly shifted to a lower frequency as time elapsed. 3. The power spectra of the SCM muscles obtained three minutes after relaxation recovered to those of the beginning of clenching. These findings indicated that muscle fatigue may be induced in the SCM muscle during sustained voluntary clenching and that electromyographic power spectral analysis can be used as a noninvasive, objective, and quantitative index of SCM muscle fatigue.