Trapezius or facial muscles: Which one is more suitable for the measurement of stress using sEMG signals?

A number of techniques have been reported to detect mental stress. Surface Electromyography (sEMG) has also been used to measure stress by acquiring the signals from various sites of the human body, however, consensus need to be established to determine the best possible site to harvest stress related information. In this study, work related mental stress using sEMG signals acquired from trapezius muscle and facial muscles were compared. BIOPAC signal acquisition system was used to acquire sEMG signals simultaneously from both trapezius and facial muscles from forty five (45) healthy volunteers. Stress was induced using different standard methods in a controlled environment. Statistical significant difference was found between the stress and rest levels of sEMG signals. The statistical test also showed that the upper trapezius muscle was a better stress detection site as compared to facial muscles.Clinical Relevance- Optimized stress detection can help in the prevention of the possible stress related physical disorders.