Mechanomyography

The contracting muscle shows changes in its mechanical activity. Despite using the conventional electromyogram (EMG) technique, which detects its electrical activity, MMG is used to assess muscle pathologies such as pain, fatigue and disease from the mechanical activity. MMG-based device may be constructed from microphones, piezoelectric contact sensors, accelerometers or laser distance sensors on the surface of the skin on the desired point of muscle. This typically small sensor occupies smaller footprint on the skin compared to the differential EMG electrodes, thus it can measure smaller muscles non-invasively. The MMG sensors are reusable without the need to be disposed unlike the EMG electrodes, making it less expensive and easy to be operated.