Journal of Sports Science and Physical Education, Malaysia ISSN: 2232-1918

https://ejournal.upsi.edu.my/journal/JSSPJ
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Research article

BIOMECHANICS ANALYSIS ON MUSCLE ACTIVATION

Mohd Yusof Baharuddin, Malaarvily Shanmugam & Hoo Boon Choo

Faculty of Sports Science and Coaching, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Tg Malim, Perak,
Malaysia

Abstract

Journal of Sports Science and Physical Education 6(2): 28-35, 2017 – The purpose of this study
was to investigate on muscle activities with electromyography (EMG) during jumping jack
activity. The EMG sensors were placed on the interest muscle to measure the activity of
gastrocnemius and tibialis muscles during jumping jack. Specific thresholds per muscle were
applied on the EMG prior comparison. These thresholds were determined by EMG muscle
activity. Overall, visual inspection showed comparable activity patterns. The mean absolute
value (MAV) and root mean square (RMS) data were collected to show differences activation of
both muscle. The results showed that there are distinct differences between gastrocnemius and
tibialis anterior during jumping jack. Based on MAV and RMS data, the activation of tibialis
anterior muscle is higher than gastrocnemius muscle during jumping jack activity. This conclude
that the tibialis anterior muscle had significantly higher electromyography activity on jumping
jack.

Keywords: electromyography, gastrocnemius, tibialis muscles, jumping jack

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INTRODUCTION

Jumping jack is a physical jumping exercise performed by jumping to a position with the legs
spread wide and the hands touching overhead, sometimes in a clap, and the returning to a
position with the feet together and the arms at the sides. The ability to generate maximal strength
in short periods of time, called explosive strength, is a critical factor that determines the
performance in jump, and the evaluation of this ability is widely used by researchers and trainers
through the jump test. The jumping jack is an explosive movement important in many sports
(Harman, Rosenstein, Frykman, & Rosenstein, 1990).
Closely associated with the generation of force by a muscle, is the generation of an
electrical signal that can be observed by placing electrodes on the skin surface to detect
underlying electrical activity displaying the associated waveform on a computer monitor. This
process is called electromyography (EMG) and the waveform is the electromyogram. EMG is
used to evaluate the muscles stretch during isometric or dynamic exercises, or to determine the
degree of fatigue (Clarys and Cabri, 1993).
Previous studies have reported activation of the gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior
muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity during jumping. Wallmann, Mercer & McWhorter
(2005) carried out a study to investigate the effects of static stretching of the gastrocnemius
muscle on maximal jumping jack performance using electromyographic activity (EMG) of the
gastrocnemius musculature to record muscle activation during jumping jack performance. The
result shows that despite increased gastrocnemius muscle activity, static stretching of the
gastrocnemius muscles had a negative effect on maximal jumping performance.
A study carried out by Arabantzi, Papadopoulos, Prassas, Komsis, & Gourgoulis, (2000)
to investigate about EMG activation patterns of the lower extremity musculature during drop
jumping from different heights. They found that it was concluded that activation patterns of the
lower extremity musculature varies when the drop height exceeds certain limits.
Furthermore, Coh et al. (2015) carried out a study to investigate about biodynamic
analysis of the kinematic, dynamic and EMG parameters of two types of drop jumps (height
25cm and 45cm). The result shows the greatest activity of gastrocnemius and soleus was noticed
in the last third of the take-off action. Significantly high EMG activation of vastus medialis and
gastrocnemius was already shown in the flight phase prior to the feet making contact with the
ground. The purpose of study was to determine the activation of gastrocnemius and tibialis
muscle during jumping jack.

Methodology
Participant
Subject were tested with jumping jack activity on electrode on EMG. Participant used right
lower part of leg. None of leg injuries or musculoskeletal disorders were reported by participant
within 6 months and were mentally and physically healthy. This study mainly to determine

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activation of gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle during jumping jack. The demographic
parameters as showed in Table 1.
Table 1: Characteristics of the Participant
Varible Detail
Age (years) 25
Body height (cm) 169
Body weight(kg) 59

Experiment Set-up
The experiment set-up was designed as shown in Figure 1. The measured subjects performed
jumping jacks with the electrodes are stick at their muscles. Participant stand with feet together,
knees slightly bent, and arms to sides. Jump while raising arms and separating legs to sides. Land
on forefoot with legs apart and arms overhead. Jump again while lower arms and returning legs
to midline (test posture). Each jump was repeated three times. To procure EMG signals, surface
EMG information were recorded utilizing a Trigno wireless EMG framework such as Delsys.
EMG information were gathered from the Tibialis Anterior and Gastrocnemius on the dominant
side of leg. Cathodes were situated as follows: for the Tibialis Anterior, 2cm from ankle, and for
the Gastrocnemius, instantly 2 cm average to the midline. Information examination was
performed using the EMGworks software package (ver. 4.0; Delsys). Crude information from the
Tibialis Anterior and Gastrocnemius muscles were changed into root mean square (RMS)
information and Mean Absolute Value (MAV). The EMG information were gathered during
jumping time of 1.4 s in. For the information examination, we utilized 3 s of the 5 s of EMG
information, barring the underlying 1s and last 1s.

Figure 1 : Sensor orientation on subject

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 Figure 2 : Sensor location to the muscles

S1

S2

Experimental Procedure
First, participant stand with feet together, knees slightly bent, and arms to sides. Jump while
raising arms and separating legs to sides. Land on forefoot with legs apart and arms overhead.
Jump again while lower arms and returning legs to midline.
Experiment were performed at room temperature (about 24ºC). Participant were asked to
wear a short-sleeved t-shirt and track bottom. Jumping jack activity were repeated 3 times with a
1.4s rest between each jump. Test trials were repeated three times, with a rest between trials. The
mean values of the normalized EMG activity for tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were used in
the analysis of jumping jack activity. For data analysis purposes, we used 2 of the 3 s of the
EMG data recorded for tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle. The window length used is
0.125 with overlap of 0.0625 for the Root Mean Square and Mean Absolute Value
(gastrocnemius lateral and tibias anterior) used in this experiment.

Results

The relationship between activation of gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle during jumping
jack is shown in Figure 3, the Mean Absolute Value (MAV) is shown in Figure 4(a) and the
calculated Root Mean Square (RMS) is shown in Figure 5(a).

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 Figure 3: Raw data during jumping jack.

Figure 3 shows that a raw surface recording (sEMG) was done for three static contraction of the
gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior. When the muscle is relaxed, a more or less noise-free EMG
Baseline can be seen. The raw EMG baseline noise depends on many factors, especially the
quality of the EMG amplifier, the environment noise and the quality of the given detection
condition. The raw data shows that the activation of tibialis anterior muscle is higher than
gastrocnemius muscle during jumping jack activity within 5s. Figure 4(a) shows that Mav data of
gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle during jumping jack.

Figure 4 (a): MAV data during jumping jack.

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The MAV graph above shows that both muscles are activated during jumping jack activity while
tibias anterior muscle is shows that the higher MAV reading compare to gastrocnemius muscle.
The overlap data shows in Figure 4(b).

Figure 4(b): Overlap MAV data during jumping jack.

The calculated Root Mean Square (RMS) is shown in Figure 5(a).

Figure 5 (a): RMS data during jumping jack.

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The RMS graph above shows that both muscles are activated during jumping jack activity while
tibialis anterior muscle is shows that the higher RMS reading compare to gastrocnemius muscle.
The overlap data shows in Figure 5(b).

Figure 5(b): Overlap RMS data during jumping jack.

Discussion
Electromyography (EMG) is a non-invasive technique for detecting electrical signals
given off during muscle contraction. These signals, on the order of hundreds of mV, are
generated by the quasi-random activation of the individual fibers that make up a skeletal muscle.
The EMG signal is actually a superposition of the many smaller signals that come from each
fibers (Kuriki et al., 2012). During jumping jack activity, two muscles activated such as
gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior. MAV and RMS data used to identify the activation of both
muscle. The results show that the activation of tibialis anterior is higher than gastrocnemius
muscle during jumping jack. This statement supported by Rosen, Swanik, Thomas, Glutting,
Knight, & Kaminski, (2013), which stated that have increased EMG activity in tibialis anterior
(TA) during jumping jack. These data show the differences of anticipatory muscle activation. In
addition, increased EMG activity in the surrounding musculature has been with an increase in
jumping. Furthermore, Quartarolo, Yassunaga, Santinha, Gabriel, & Shamus, (2016) also stated
that demonstrated an increase of recruitment of the tibialis anterior and the peroneus longus in
jumping activity that maybe useful in ankle stability rehabilitation.

Conclusion

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In this study, we have explored the relationship between EMG signals and muscle using
biomechanical models. EMG signal carries valuable information regarding the both muscle
during jumping jack. In conclusion, this study stated that tibialis and anterior muscle activated
during jumping jack. However, activation of tibialis anterior is higher than gastrocnemius muscle
during jumping jack.

References

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 Mohd Yusof Baharuddin

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