Novel Insights Into Biarticular Muscle Actions Gained From High-Density Electromyogram

Human biarticular muscles are regionally activated for different functional roles, and this should be considered when recording surface electromyography.
Biarticular muscles have traditionally been considered to exhibit homogeneous neuromuscular activation. The regional activation of biarticular muscles, as revealed from high-density surface electromyograms, seems however to discredit this notion. We thus hypothesize the regional activation of biarticular muscles may contribute to different actions about the joints they span. We then discuss the mechanistic basis and methodological implications underpinning our hypothesis.