Electromyographic analysis regarding tension of selected masticatory and dorsal muscles at rest and during activities burdening the stomatognathic system in saxophonists

Danuta Smolag; Ewa Puszczalowska-Lizis

doi:10.37190/abb/220467

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Electromyographic analysis regarding tension of selected masticatory and dorsal muscles at rest and during activities burdening the stomatognathic system in saxophonists

Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)

By: Danuta Smolag and Ewa Puszczalowska-Lizis

Open Access

|Sep 2026

Abstract

Purpose

The study aimed to investigate whether saxophonists experience muscle tone variations in the masseter muscles and the descending parts of the trapezius dorsi muscle in resting conditions and during activities that load the stomatognathic system.

Methods

This study included 30 men aged 20–30 years, students of saxophone classes at the Jazz and Popular Music Department of randomly selected Music Academies in Poland (average saxophone playing experience: 12.57 ± 2.06 years). Muscle tension of selected masticatory and back muscles was evaluated both at rest and during activities taxing the stomatognathic system using a Noraxon electromyograph. Friedman’s repeated measures analysis of variance for ranks (ANOVA) with Dunn’s post-hoc test was used to analyze the results.

Results

Statistically significant differences were found in the maximal contraction amplitude values of the masseter muscle obtained in subsequent test sequences, both on the right (p < 0.001) and left (p < 0.001) sides, as well as in the descending portion of the trapezius muscle on the right (p < 0.001) and left (p < 0.001) sides. Statistically significant differences were noted in the maximal contraction amplitude values of the analysed muscles between the individual test phases.

Conclusions

In saxophonists, variation occurs in the tension of the masseter muscles and the descending parts of the trapezius muscle during rest and activity, which burdens the stomatognathic system. The tension in these muscles tends to increase during free opening and closing of the mouth and when clenching the teeth on the mouthpiece. It reaches its highest values while playing the instrument, and after ceasing activity, it decreases during the rest phase.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37190/abb/220467 | Journal eISSN: 2450-6303 | Journal ISSN: 1509-409X

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Language: English

Page range: 1 - 10

Submitted on: Mar 19, 2026

Accepted on: Apr 8, 2026

Published on: Sep 21, 2026

Published by: Wroclaw University of Science and Technology

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

Masseters,

Maximal amplitude of muscle contractions,

Saxophone,

Selective muscle activation,

Surface EMG,

Trapezius muscle

Related subjects:

Engineering,

Bioengineering and biomedical engineering,

Cellular and tissue engineering,

Biomechanics,

Medicine,

Biomedical engineering,

Materials sciences,

Biomaterials and natural materials

© 2026 Danuta Smolag, Ewa Puszczalowska-Lizis, published by Wroclaw University of Science and Technology
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 28 (2026): Issue 1 (March 2026)