Methods of Recording Surface Electromyogram and Its Clinical Applications(Special Issue in Hornor of the Retirement of Professor Makoto Iwata at the Department of Neurology, Tokyo Women's Medical University)

The purpose of this paper is to introduce methods of recording surface electromyogram (EMG) and its applications. Surface EMG is performed simultaneously with accelerometric recordings depending on the type of involuntary movements. The aim of this clinical examination is to objectively analyze involuntary movements and abnormal muscle tonus. It is especially useful when there are several involuntary movements occurring at the same time in one particular case, as well as for objective evaluations of clinical courses or effects of treatments. It is also beneficial to analyze atypical involuntary movements and to disclose the best muscle for subsequent electrophysiological analyses. In this paper, the methods of recording surface EMGs and the abnormal findings usually found are shown for individual categories of involuntary movements and abnormal muscle tonus