Use of Quantitative Electromyography (EMG) in the Evaluation of Fatigue Associated with Pressure Glove Work

Noninvasive EMG was used to evaluate fatigue of the finger flexors, thumb flexor, and wrist extensor muscles associated with hand work. The 1000 series pressure suit glove was used in conjunction with a glove box testing methodology. Determination of the degree of muscle fatigue was based on an analysis of the change in the median frequency of the EMG associated with bare-hand, gloved-hand/0 psid and gloved-hand/4.3 psid work. The methodology for collecting EMG data and the analysis of the median frequency as a physiological means of quantifying muscle fatigue is presented. The intent of this program was to develop objective means of analyzing hand performance for any pressure glove design, and compare it to bare-hand performance.