VMG Research

Sonostics has undertaken a variety of research projects that generated a number of useful Application Notes you may download here:

For information on vibromyography (VMG), a subset of mechanomyography (MMG) the abstracts referenced below represent a good start:

Here are four studies undertaken over the last 20 years which highlight the advantages of MMG (VMG) over EMG. This should serve to help people understand that VMG is well established technology and has distinct benefits over EMG:

1. A comparative study of simultaneous vibromyography and electromyography with active human quadriceps., Zhang, 1992

2. Vibromyography as a quantitative measure of muscle force production, Matheson, 1997

3. Mechanomyographic and electromyographic responses to repeated concentric muscle actions of the quadriceps femoris, Ebersole, 2006

4. Mechanomyography versus Electromyography, in monitoring the muscular fatigue, Tarata, 2003

Here are more general references to mechanomyography that serve as good underpinnings for those interested in familiarizing themselves with research in this field:

1. The surface mechanomyogram as a tool to describe the influence of fatigue on biceps brachii motor unit activation strategy. Historical basis and novel evidence,Orizio, 1993

2. Patellofemoral pain and the mechanomyographic responses of the vastus lateralis and vastus medialis muscles, Ebersole, 2009

3. Automatic detection of muscle activity from mechanomyogram signals: a comparison of amplitude and wavelet-based methods, Alves, 2010

Here is an article which shows why it is important to filter out low frequency VMG content in order to get reliable data:

1. Propagation direction of natural mechanical oscillations in the biceps brachii muscle during voluntary contraction, 2011