Surface EMG (sEMG) | New Beginnings Chiropractic

What is sEMG and how can it support chiropractic care?

This technology reads electrical activity (action potential) in order to measure paraspinal tension, similar to the use of electromyography in EKG/heart rate measurement machines.

The electric current pattern is a critical component in how your body functions. The muscles on either side of your spine should be balanced: if they are not working equally well, the body is forced to compensate, which takes energy. This imbalance can monitored by sEMG technology. Alterations in electrical activity in the paraspinal muscles can shed light on the muscular changes linked to vertebral subluxations. As such, chiropractors can use sEMG to establish a baseline for paraspinal electrical activity.

In contrast to EKG/heart rate monitors, the sEMG used within CLA’s INSiGHT™ technology has sensors that are 1,000 times more sensitive. This enables them to read the electrical activity of paraspinal muscles, which is much weaker than that of the heart. The sensitivity and accuracy of the Insight technology is unsurpassed.

Amplitude scan – This scan reveals the amplitude (tension) among paraspinal electrical activity, noting areas of hyper or hypo-tonicity as it compares to a normal population. CLA’s chiropractic tools use a color-coded system: Green bars show mild elevation (compared to the normal scan), blue bars convey moderate elevation, red bars indicate high elevation and yellow bars display readings below normal amplitude.

Asymmetry scan – This reading depicts the amount of muscle pull from one side to another along the spine using the same color-coded system. White triangles indicate normal.

sEMG-Pattern view – This cutting edge graph is patent-pending and unique to CLA’s INSiGHT™ technology. It highlights patterns in how energy is distributed throughout the spine and whether this system is efficient or not. With this view, chiropractors can easily visualize underlying imbalances and room for improvement for patients who are interested in better wellness.