An Electromyographic Signal Acquisition System for Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia, characterized by age-related loss of strength and muscle mass, profoundly affects the elderly’s well-being. Currently, diagnosing sarcopenia requires the utilization of extensive and cumbersome testing equipment. Surface electromyography (sEMG) is able to track muscle status and has been effectively employed in diagnosing various diseases or human-machine interactions, but its application in sarcopenia detection remains unexplored. In this study, a compact sEMG system is developed to monitor sarcopenia, which is endowed with compact dimensions, ease of operation, and wireless data transmission capabilities. The investigation involves the analysis of sEMG signals from 15 elderly participants. A significant correlation is established between the median frequency of these sEMG signals and the appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM). The proposed sEMG-based sarcopenia detection device exhibits the merit in portable use and highly operational efficiency. In future, it holds a high potential to replace the commercially cumbersome or non-portable testing devices, thereby facilitating widespread sarcopenia screening across diverse populations.