Human Movement Science 1 (1982) 87 North-Holland Publishing Company

87

TECHNICAL NOTE

METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN HUMAN MOVE- MENT STUDIES EMPLOYING ELECTROMYOGRAPHY

In the course of reviewing numerous manuscripts, in which electro- myography has been employed, it has become quite apparent that some uniformity in reporting procedures should be encouraged, or even made mandatory. This recommendation is not meant to stifle individual style in reporting, merely to ensure that adequate technical information is provided to enable the critical reader to judge for him/herself the adequacy of the procedures. Fortunately, a recently released document is now available to assist in this standardization. This document is the report of the International Society for Electrophysiological Kinesiology Ad Hoc Committee on Units, Terms and Standards in the Reporting of EMG Research.

Apart from providing fundamental background information that all electromyographers should know, the report makes specific recom- mendations about those technical considerations that should be re- ported. For example it provides an explicit illustration of the loss of information and distortion, in time and amplitude, of various combina- tions of upper and lower level cut-off frequencies used in signal processing. While it may not be necessary, at the present time, to make it an editorial policy of Human Movetient Science to insist on ad- herence to these publication criteria, it would be appropriate for authors to familiarize themselves with the guidelines.

The document is available (cost: US $ 3.00) from: Dr. R. Lehr, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA.

Keith Hayes