Electromyogram power spectra frequencies associated with motor unit recruitment strategies

The isolated contributions of motor unit recruitment and firing rate variations to the median frequency of the electromyogram's power density spectrum were determined. Orderly stimulation of the cat gastrocnemius motor units via nerve electrodes gave rise to linearly increasing median frequency regardless of the action potential firing rate of the active motor units. Increase in the discharge rate of all the motor units resulted in nearly constant median frequency. It was concluded that the increasing average conduction velocity during motor unit recruitment is the major contributor to variations in the electromyogram median frequency. The possibility of using the median frequency as the index to identify the recruitment control strategies employed by various muscles during increasing force contraction is suggested.