Heat Stress-Induced Adaptations in Tibialis Anterior: MYOG & EMG Analysis

Clinical and athletic settings demonstrate that heat stress influences various physiological processes, including muscle regeneration. The study investigates the impact of heat stress on muscle activation (electromyography/EMG activity) and Myogenin (MYOG) levels in the Tibialis Anterior muscle. This study aimed to determine optimal heat stress to enhance neuromuscular activity by applying heat stress (30°C to 42°C) to the Tibialis Anterior. At the same time, indirect Myogenin data levels were analyzed to determine muscle regeneration. Data analysis (ANOVA) was performed and showed no correlation between heat stress and muscle activation in the Tibialis Anterior Muscle (F(3, 16) = 0.959, p = 0.436). Instead, t-tests revealed that neuromuscular activity increased between 30°C and 42°C (t(2) = -2.67, p = 0.058, one-tailed). Moreover, analysis done by paired t-tests indicated a decrease in MYOG expression levels when heat stress was present (t(2) = -6.5, p = 0.011, one-tailed). These results show that although heat stress may not impact neuromuscular activity to the point of variation, it could downregulate MYOG expression levels. Downregulating MYOG levels could limit muscle regeneration. The research shows the potential application of heat stress in neuromuscular function in the Tibialis Anterior to optimize recovery in athletic and clinical conditions.