SEMG MEASUREMENTS ON LAND AND IN WATER PRIOR TO AND AFTER 60- 90 MINUTES OF SUBMERSION (SWIMMING) ARE HIGHLY RELIABLE

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements after being submerged (swimming) for 60-90 minutes. Isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) on land and in water were collected of eight muscles in three males and three females (mean age 22.5±4.5 years). A paired samples t-test showed no significant differences in the mean MVC signal between pre and post test after prolonged water submersion (p<0.954 for average of the two highest MVC scores and p<0.946 for the highest MVC score pre and post submerging respectively). Intraclass Correlation (ICC)(1,1) were 0.977 and 0.972, the Chronbach’s alpha was 0.976 and 0.972. The mean coefficient of variation for all muscles was 11%. Testing sEMG in water exercises, before or after a prolonged submersion seems to be highly reliable.