Join iWorx LinkedIn Forums
 

- Physiology Laboratory
  Teaching Forum
 

- Cardiac Pressure-Volume
  Loop Research

- Telemetry for Physiology and
  Pharmacology Research

About iWorx
iWorx has everything you need to add excitement and distance learning to any physiology teaching program. Our products include data acquisition hardware, professionally -developed physiology courseware, innovative web tools, and a full selection of transducers, cables, front ends and accessories.

iWorx Systems, Inc.
62 Littleworth Road
Dover, NH 03820
P: 800-234-1757
F: 603-742-2455
info@iworx.com

©2012
iWorx Systems, Inc. 

iWorx, LabsByDesign, and LabScribe2 are trademarks of iWorx Systems, Inc.

January 2012

  Arm Wrestling and EMG Activity Experiment

Studying electromyograms (EMGs), the electrical impulses occurring within certain muscles when active or inactive, is an interesting way to study the physiology of muscle activity.  Commonly, looking at antagonistic muscle pairs, such as the biceps and triceps, while flexing and extending has been the norm. This allows looking at how the EMG activity changes based on what muscle is in use. However, there are other ways to observe EMG activity, and have an interactive, more interesting time doing it. Looking at any activity that involves flexing and extending pairs of muscles can be used, arms are easily accessible, so, would you like to be better at arm wrestling?

Arm wrestling involves the primary use of four muscles:  Biceps brachii, Pronator teres, Pectoralis major and Flexor carpi ulnaris.  Other muscles such as the Deltoid, Latissimus dorsii and Triceps brachii are also used. The forearm muscles are generally thought to be the most important with the upper arm and chest providing strength as well.

The basic idea of arm wrestling is to pin your opponent's arm to the table. The general rules of arm wrestling are simple:

• Contestants should start square to the table with at least one foot on the ground.

• Your body should not touch your hand at all.

• Contestants should not allow their body, aside from their hand, to cross to the other side of the table.

• To win, you must cause your opponent's hands or fingers to touch the table’s surface.

As the arm wrestling contestants begin the competition, EMGs are  generated to keep their muscles  active and move their forearms to  pin the opponent to the table. The muscles that become active will depend on whether the contestant is winning, gaining the advantage by pushing their opponent’s arm to the table; or losing, being at a disadvantage when their arm is being pushed towards the table. In either case, the muscles are working to push against the other individual’s muscles.

In this lab, students will use arm wrestling to observe and measure EMG activity while winning and losing at a wrestling match. Electrodes will be placed on the Biceps brachii (upper arm) and Pronator teres (forearm) muscles to observe muscle action as different forces are used to pin their opponent to the table.

Download locked Arm Wrestling
and EMG Activity experiment.

Download open Arm Wrestling and EMG Activity  experiment.

  Download the Updated Settings File for this Month's
  Experiment with LabScribe2 Software

Download settings file here (iWorx users only)
Download settings tutorial here

iWorx users who plan to use the Arm Wrestling and EMG Activity  experiment in their course can obtain a copy of the settings file used to configure the LabScribe2 recording software to do this experiment by clicking here (zip file).
 

To learn how to create your own groups of settings files for use with LabScribe2, click here. The new Settings Manager in LabScribe2 permits numerous pieces of support material to be linked to a settings file and opened automatically when the settings file is selected from the Settings menu. In LabScribe2, animations, illustrations, movies, websites, experimental write-ups, and more can be opened automatically when a settings file is opened.

There is still time to save 15% on the following select products if you purchase prior to January 31, 2012.

Purchase online:
IX-ECG12 12-Lead ECG Recorder with LabScribe2 Software

IX-ECG12-NS 12-Lead ECG Recorder without LabScribe2 Software

ECG-SIM-1200 12-Lead ECG Simulator

Contact us for a quote and mention savings code MET-SAV at 800-234-1757/info@iworx.com:

MC-200V Metabolic Cart

HEK-300 Exercise Physiology Teaching Kit

ETS-300 Exercise Physiology Add-On Teaching Set for users of iWorx IX-214 Human Physiology Teaching Kit.

Valuable information for instructors and students planning EMG activity experiments can be found on our external Web resources page.

On this page we have also accumulated a host of links to informative, external physiology Web sites and conveniently categorized them into major subcategories for easy reference.