Does Pilates Breathing affect the Biceps Brachii neuromuscular efficiency during submaximal contraction

All sEMG data were normalized using the MVIC, and the mean muscle activities during concentric and eccentric phases of the biceps brachii muscles were calculated. All information was recorded and processed offline using the MIOTEC Suite™ software (MI-OTEC™; Biomedical Equipment). To set the elbow movement onset, the concen-tric-eccentric phase switch, and the end of the elbow movement, all movements were rec-orded using a camera synchronized to the sEMG acquisition. Markers were digitally set for each event (onset, switch, and end). Next, the concentric and eccentric biceps brachii electromyographic signals were windowed following the established video markers.
Neuromuscular efficiency index was determined calculating the ratio between the mean of sEMG activity (EMGs) normalized by MVIC and the corresponding percentage force (20%, 40% and 60% of MVIC). This variable was expressed as (%/Kgf). In this context, a lower ratio value indicates greater neuromuscular efficiency, meaning that the muscle can generate the required force with less electrical activity, reflecting a more optimized neuromuscular performance

所有表面肌电（sEMG）数据均采用最大随意等长收缩（MVIC）进行归一化处理，并计算了肱二头肌在向心与离心收缩阶段的平均肌电活动。所有数据均通过MIOTEC™套件软件（MI-OTEC™；生物医学设备厂商）完成离线记录与处理。为确定肘关节运动起始时刻、向心-离心收缩阶段切换时刻以及肘关节运动结束时刻，所有运动均采用与sEMG采集同步的摄像机进行录制，并为每个事件（起始时刻、切换时刻、结束时刻）设置数字化标记点。随后，根据已确定的视频标记点，对肱二头肌向心与离心收缩的肌电信号进行加窗处理。
神经肌肉效率指数通过计算经MVIC归一化的sEMG活动（EMGs）平均值与对应百分比最大肌力（分别为MVIC的20%、40%与60%）之间的比值得到，该指标以百分比/千克力（%/Kgf）为单位。在此语境下，比值越低则神经肌肉效率越高，即肌肉仅需更少的电活动即可产生所需力量，反映出更优化的神经肌肉运动表现。