Sazonova E.A., Litvichenko E.M., Bykov E.V., Peremazova R.G. Results of the influence of the author's method of indirect massage on the state of muscles according to surface electromyography

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Publication date: 1.03.2021
DOI: 10.51871/2588-0500_2021_05_01_7

UDC 615.8+612.741

RESULTS OF THE INFLUENCE OF THE AUTHOR'S METHOD
OF INDIRECT MASSAGE ON THE STATE OF MUSCLES ACCORDING
TO SURFACE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY

E.A. Sazonova¹, E.M. Litvichenko², E.V. Bykov¹, R.G. Peremazova²

¹FSBEI of HE “The Ural State University of Physical Culture”, Chelyabinsk, Russia

²LLC “Avatar”, Center for Massage Practices, Novosibirsk, Russia

 

Key words: indirect massage, muscles, synergists and antagonists, tone, surface electromyography, electrobiological activity.

Annotation. The author's method of «indirect massage» results influence over a state of skeletal muscles according to surface electromyography are presented in the article. A high corrective effect of the indirect massage technique was revealed. It is shown, that normal indicators of muscle tone maintained this effect in a month after the course (latissimus dorsi and trapezius at rest and in tension), which tend to positive changes either remained at the same level (latissimus dorsi, anterior tibial, pectoralis major – in tension), or improved (pectoralis major, anterior tibialis, gluteus maximus at rest, gastrocnemius, quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris at rest and in tension). However, a number of the obtained results are ambiguous, and it requires further research.

 

Introduction. Diagnostics are an integral part of creation of correction program during recovery of athletic performance. The author developed the method of correction of muscle-tone imbalance (indirect massage), which allows to gather promptly the information about initial muscle state and the efficiency of correction of revealed imbalance [4].

The development of new and improvement of traditional sports and health technologies is inseparately connected to the level of knowledge about the structure and physiological processes of the neuromuscular apparatus and about control mechanisms of movement of various coordination difficulties. Those pieces of knowledge could be significantly deepened and extended using the surface electromyography (sEMG) method – a registration of electrical activity of skeletal muscles at rest and during performance of voluntary motor actions [5, 7]. By registration of total activity of all activated motor units, the sEMG allows to view the interaction of motor units of one muscle, various muscles (synergists and antagonists), to examine up to five muscles at once, to evaluate the lesion site and the manifestation degree in various muscle groups and, depending on gathered results, to determine further tactics of the electromyographic study.  The amount of electrodes is determined by the amount of muscles, from which the sEMG is recorded. Reference electrodes are placed on the wrist depending on examined muscles [1].

The purpose of the study is to research the impact of the author’s method of «indirect massage» on the state of some muscles according to data of the surface electromyography.

Methods and organization. The study was conducted on the base of the Scientific and Research Laboratory of the Department of Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation of the UralSUFC before and after using the method. 32 student athletes participated in the study.  The age in average was 20,63±0,92 years. The study was repeated 1 month after. The course of the author’s method of «indirect massage» (8 sessions) on all muscles, which participate in keeping the vertical position of the body in space and in correction of the ligamental tone around leg joints and spine, is performed for all subjects [3].

The state of muscles was evaluated according to data of the surface electromyography, which was performed on the NMA-4-01-“NEIROMIAN” neuromyoanalyzer. During the registration of the sEMG of torso muscles, latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and pectoralis major were examined. During the registration of the sEMG of pelvic girdle and lower extremity, gluteus maximus, quadriceps femoris, and biceps femoris were examined. During the registration of the sEMG of lower part of leg and foot, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were examined. The choice of set of muscles was based on the method. The consequential study of muscles allows implementing screening of activation of peripheral motor neurons and the state of suprasegmentary regulation on different levels of the spinal cord.

Surface registration electrodes were used to record the interference pattern. The axis of bipolar electrode is placed along the muscle, so that the active electrode is located above the area of the muscle motor point. Registration modes are related to various types of loads (according to Kamantsev V.N., 2002) [2]. The record was made from several muscles simultaneously, synchronized with the right and the left part of the body. For every muscle in given time interval different indicators of the sEMG at rest and in tension were analyzed, with evaluation of interference activity of voluntary contraction, which is presented through a number of parameters of common use, including amplitude and the number of turns [6].

Tables of estimated indicators are presented below, in which such data as absolute indicators of abnormality (show personal dynamics of obtained results), amplitude (range) of electromyographic signal and a number of turns, is shown. The turn is a curve point, in which the change of the signal amplitude’s shift happens. Turn’s threshold is set by default – 100 µV [8]. For example, it is set on the curve’s decrease to its increase and vice versa. The mandatory condition is that after this point the curve should be monotonous throughout the specified value. A number of turns in healthy people is more than 150. The study was conducted in two modes: at rest and in maximum voluntary tension.

Results and discussion. 

1. “At rest” mode. The subject was in maximum relaxed state, lying on their back or stomach. The sensitivity was registered at the level of 5-10 µV. Then the athlete should achieve the maximum possible relaxation by doing different actions (e.g. by keeping their attention away, asking them to count or change the position of a limb or a torso). The significant pathological manifestation of bioelectric activity of muscles at rest were fasciculation potentials with an amplitude above 100 µV, rhythmic frequency of discharge (in average it should be 2-6 per second). Given potentials are typical for lesion of motor neurons; however, they are also registered if there is a lesion of spinal roots and peripheral nerves.
2. “Maximum voluntary tension” mode. Allows to register different types of the interference EMG. The sensitivity was registered at the level of 500 µV. The voluntary tension (fast, with maximum effort) is held for 5-6 seconds and carried out in the mid-physiological position of limbs with relaxed muscles. The EMG amplitude was determined by modal oscillations (i.e. those, the number of which is the maximum). With the standard speed of registration of 50 mm/s, modal fluctuations of potentials form the fully crosshatched EMG area, above which only maximum rare discharges of amplitude can be seen. Normally, a saturated EMG with an amplitude higher than 300 µV is registered. The activity lower than 300 µV indicates a pathology of the neuromotor apparatus [2].

From the data obtained, it can be seen that mostly positive changes are revealed (Table 1, 2).

 

 

 

 

Table 1

Results of changes of indicators of the surface electromyography of individual muscles under the influence of indirect massage

Localization	Absolute indicators of abnormality (abs./%)		Amplitude (µV), M±m		р	Number of turns (1/sec), M±m		р
	before massage	after massage	before massage	after massage		before massage	after massage
musculus latissimus dorsi at rest
Left	10 (33,3%)	5 (16,6%)	89,50±6,08	77,55±5,07	0,024	-	-	-
Right	13 (43,3%)	7 (23,4%)	116,16±23,99	76,77±4,12	0,028	-	-	-
Total	23	12	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	14 (46,6%)	7 (23,4%)	-	-	-	-	-	-
musculus latissimus dorsi in tension
Left	21 (70%)	18 (60%)	2206,66±257,91	2008,60±223,48	0,861	134,69±5,17	145,29±4,48	0,992
Right	27 (90%)	21 (70%)	2540,06±197,75	2312,03±165,17	0,428	141,23±4,93	150,63±3,88	0,812
Total	48	39	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	15 (50%)	9 (30%)	-	-	-	-	-	-
musculus trapezius at rest
Left	5 (16,6%)	2 (6,6%)	80,65±3,99	70,73±3,27	0,037	-	-	-
Right	5 (16,6%)	2 (6,6%)	79,57±4,83	68,77±3,51	0,024	-	-	-
Total	10	4	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	2 (6,6%)	0	-	-	-	-	-	-
musculus trapezius in tension
Left	23  (76,6%)	12 (40%)	2202,40±165,46	1735,83±142,20	0,037	146,4±4,57	185,50±4,86	0,028
Right	22  (73,3%)	10 (33,3%)	2134,73±201,45	1520,33±166,48	0,054	142,96±4,95	187,63±4,65	0,024
Total	45	22	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	13 (43,3%)	16 (53,3%)	-	-	-	-	-	-
musculus pectoralis major at rest
Left	23 (76,6%)	25 (83,3%)	157,85±12,90	151,20±9,10	0,491	-	-	-
Right	13 (43,3%)	9 (30%)	99,46±6,68	95,60±6,50	0,758	-	-	-
Total	36	34	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	17 (56,6%)	22 (73,3%)	-	-	-	-	-	-
musculus pectoralis major in tension
Left	1 (3%)	0	1150,63±199,33	975,76±111,46	0,877	59,83±7,00	118,26±9,33	0,045
Right	2 (6,6%)	0	1114,70±162,83	849,93±110,47	0,131	61,70±6,13	120,26±9,23	0,048
Total	3	0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	7 (23,3%)	7 (23,3%)	-	-	-	-	-	-
Musculus biceps femoris at rest
Left	0	0	38,47±3,27	35,53±3,07	0,489	-	-	-
Right	0	0	41,7±3,66	42,97±2,96	0,703	-	-	-
Total	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Musculus biceps femoris in tension
Left	6 (20%)	2 (6,6%)	550,90±112,62	545,20±65,53	0,260	187,10±14,84	123,40±12,39	0,411
Right	2 (6,6%)	0	542,87±100,57	541,57±88,99	0,141	209,77±21,46	221,23±17,32	0,062
Total	8	2	-	-	-	-	-	-
Asymmetry	2 (6,6%)	2 (6,6%)	-	-	-	-	-	-

 

Table 2

Results of changes of indicators of the surface electromyography of individual muscles under the influence of indirect massage after 1 month

Amplitude (µV), M±m							Number of turns (1/sec), M±m	р1*	р2**
musculus latissimus dorsi at rest
Left				83,22±3,89			-	0,858	0,441
Right				86,44±3,82			-	0,858	0,767
musculus latissimus dorsi in tension
Left						2063,00±428,77	-	0,767	0,767
Right						2329,67±568,76	-	0,767	0,593
Left						-	140,00±10,53	0,678	0,859
Right						-	142,33±12,08	0,813	0,515
musculus trapezius at rest
Left	61,89±7,79						-	0,314	0,173
Right	66,00±5,19						-	0,953	0,554
musculus trapezius in tension
Left, 34	1606,06±325						-	0,094	0,678
Right	1457,44±436,83						-	0,046	0,514
Left	-						184,56±12,16	0,037	0,859
Right	-						197,33±9,23	0,028	0,241
musculus pectoralis major at rest
Left			101,67±19,97				-	0,041	0,767
Right			107,22±13,22				-	0,045	0,859
musculus pectoralis major in tension
Left	903,11±191,44						-	0,575	0,767
Right	908,33±214,80						-	0,680	0,953
Left	-						124,67±18,37	0,037	0,953
Right	-						130,56±16,79	0,028	0,594
Musculus tibialis anterior at rest
v		38,33±6,87					-	0,859	0,594
At right		35,67±3,05					-	0,374	0,676
Musculus tibialis anterior in tension
Left					1738,11±180,97		-	0,045	0,214
Right					1990,00±337,68		-	0,049	0,441
Left							220,20±13,77	0,680	0,260
Right							221,11±13,66	0,953	0,173
Musculus biceps femoris at rest
Left						32,67±4,65	-	0,515	0,554
Right						29,63±2,48	-	0,483	0,017
Musculus biceps femoris in tension
Left					860,67±264,52		-	0,214	0,953
Right					908,22±290,27		-	0,260	0,859
Left					-		150,89±30,29	0,214	0,859
Right					-		159,89±33,81	0,594	0,441

Note: * – significance of differences between indicators before massage sessions and 1 month after; ** – significance of differences between indicators after massage sessions and 1 month after.

 

Now we need to look through indicators of specific state of muscles in the whole group.

During maximum relaxation before massage sessions, indicators of amplitude, received from record data of latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major (>100 µV), exceeded limits of the established norm. Normally, this indicator should tend to zero. In the interval of 77 to 99 µV record data from trapezius was obtained, muscles of lower extremities had amplitude values of 30-50 µV. After the massage course, the tension in latissimus dorsi and trapezius was significantly decreased; the improvement on the level of tendency was registered in the rest of muscles.

Two types of response take place in maximum isometric tension: insufficient development of voluntary effort made by the muscle (then amplitude indicators would be lower than 300 µV) and the hypersynchronous reaction (higher than 1500 and lower than 3000 µV). The first type was registered in 20% of cases among revealed abnormalities, the second one – in 70% of cases. Approximately 10% of indicators exceeded limits of the hypersynchronous reaction (higher than 3000 µV). The irritant manner of reaction could be explained by the influence on spinal roots (e.g. in case of osteochondrosis), which is manifested in the form of excessive activation of the motor neuronal pool.

  The abnormalities towards hypersynchronization were mostly revealed in maximum tension of latissimus dorsi, trapezius and tibialis anterior, towards insufficient development of voluntary effort made by the muscle – in tension of  quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris.  After corrective measures, a statistically significant improvement of indicators (amplitude and turns) was obtained from the record data of trapezius, tibialis anterior and pectoralis major (according to turns).  The tendency of improvement of indicators was registered in the rest of muscles.

In 1 month, indicators, which achieved their standard value, preserved their position (latissimus dorsi and trapezius both at rest and in tension) that showed tendency to positive dynamics, or stayed on the same approximate level (latissimus dorsi, tibialis anterior, pectoralis major – in tension), or improved (pectoralis major, tibialis anterior and gluteus maximus at rest, gastrocnemius, quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris both at rest and in tension).

Personal dynamics. The data in Table 1 was presented in absolute values. The most signs of muscular imbalance before massage sessions were revealed from the record data of 3 large muscles: latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major and tibialis anterior. The range of abnormalities was 46,6-76,6% (that is, abnormalities of those muscles were registered in 14-13 subjects). The least muscular imbalance was registered in lower extremities’ muscles (6,6-23,3%, 2-7 subjects). Values had a tendency to decrease after corrective measures. In the large muscle group, the indicator was decreased down to approximately 30%. Pectoralis major was an exception, when a number of indicators was insignificantly decreased. Muscle dystonia of lower extremities was either alleviated, or did not exceed 6,6% (was preserved in 2 subjects from the group).

We also noted a presence of asymmetry of initial muscle tone of subjects with a tendency to relative balancing of indicators after corrective measures mostly in torso muscles, which indicates an efficiency of indirect massage sessions.

We also consider it important to note an “exclusion” from the overall positive image of record data received from pectoralis major. The amplitude, both before and after the correction, was preserved on the level of higher than 150 µV, although there was a tendency for decrease. A pronounced asymmetry at rest was increased from 56,6% to 73,3%. After a month, the values did not went lower than 100 µV, but they were improved insignificantly. In our opinion, it can be explained by the fact that this muscle was not massaged, and the changes that it had undergone were probably due to response of muscle chains system. However, this statement requires further development.

Conclusion. Thus, the obtained results reveal a high corrective effect of the author’s method of “indirect massage”, although the number of received data requires further research and physiological justification.

 

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Information about the authors: Sazonova Elena Aleksandrovna – Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of Scientific and Research Laboratory of the Department of Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation of The Ural State University of Physical Culture, Chelyabinsk, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;  Litvichenko Evgeny Mikhailovich – director of the LLC “Avatar”, Center of Massage Practices, Novosibirsk, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Bykov Evgeniy Vital’evich – Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Vice Rector for Research Projects, Director of the SRI of Olympic Sports, Head of the Department of Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation of the Ural State University of Physical Culture, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Peramazova Ramilya Ganiyanovna – researcher of the Department of Sports Medicine and Physical Rehabilitation of the Ural State University of Physical Culture, Chelyabinsk.