Aims: To describe the hazards of Surface Electromyography in sport and exercise. News: The methodological and technical registration strategies deal with telemetry and online data acquisition, the placement of the detection electrodes and the choice of the most adequate normalisation mode. Findings compared with the literature suggest detection quality differences between registration methods and between water and air data acquisition allowing for output differences up to 30% between registration methods and up to 25% decrease in water, considering identical measures in air and in water. Various hazards deal with erroneous choices of muscles or electrode placement and the continuous confusion created by static normalisation for dynamic motion. Peak dynamic intensities range from 111% (in archery) to 283% (in giant slalom) of a static 100% reference. In addition, the linear relationship between integrated electromyography (IEMG) as a reference for muscle intensity and muscle force is not likely to exist in dynamic conditions since it is muscle - joint angle - and fatigue dependent. Contrary to expectations, the literature shows 30% of non-linear relations in isometric conditions also. Conclusions: SEMG in sport and exercise is highly variable and different from clinical (e.g. neurological) EMG. Choices of electrodes, registration methods, muscles, joint-angles and normalisation techniques may create confusing and often erroneous or incomparable results.
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