Factors responsible for force steadiness impairment with fatigue

In this study we investigated the contribution of muscle activation to the impairment of fine force control with fatigue. In three experiments, we manipulated muscle activation and measured force variability before and after a fatigue protocol. When muscle activation was left free (subjects had to match the same absolute force pre- and post-fatigue), fatigue increased muscle activation at moderate force levels only, and force variability increased regardless of the level of force. When muscle activation was controlled (subjects had to match the same electromyographic activity), fatigue no longer increased force variability, except at low force levels. When voluntary muscle activation was suppressed (muscles were electrically stimulated), force variability was unaffected by fatigue. We conclude that the impairment of force steadiness with fatigue is mainly due to the increase in muscle activation at moderate forces, but there are other central sources of force fluctuation present at low force levels.