Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (left) — EMG Electrode Placement

Recording notes & source

per Criswell 2011, site „Flexor Digitorum Superficialis“, p. 332

Placement type: Quasi-specific site Neighbouring muscles contribute noticeably to the signal — allow for crosstalk.
Signal check: Flex the fingers while avoiding wrist flexion.
Crosstalk from: flexor carpi radialis — crosstalk is certain if placed too radially

Print as a session sheet · A4 with landmarks, signal check and MVC test

Source: Criswell 2011

Criswell E. Cram's Introduction to Surface Electromyography. 2nd ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2011. ISBN 978-0-7637-3274-5.

Methodological background of the source

Criswell (2011) — Cram's Introduction to Surface Electromyography, 2nd edition — is the standard textbook for surface EMG electrode placement beyond the SENIAM catalogue. Its atlas section (Part III) describes, for each site, palpation, electrode location with 2 cm spacing parallel to the fibres, a behavioural test and the neighbouring muscles from which crosstalk is to be expected. Cram's classifies the position used here as "quasi-specific" — the muscle cannot be fully separated from its neighbours at the surface. The position is established in practice but less validated than a SENIAM recommendation.

Based on SENIAM recommendations (Hermens et al. 2000). Not an official SENIAM product. See all references → · SENIAM reference table · How electrodes are placed (guide) · Glossary

Go deeper Specific, Quasi-Specific, General — The Three Types of Surface EMG Placement → Can I Measure This Muscle With Surface EMG? →

All 49 muscle protocols as a PDF — free

Print-ready for the lab or clinic: 77 pages of protocols (SENIAM + peer-reviewed), plus the SENIAM table, a placement checklist and a sensor comparison sheet as A4 sheets.

Anatomy & Function

The M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (Flexor Digitorum Superficialis) is a muscle of the forearm region. It is responsible for flexion at the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) of fingers II-V, wrist flexion. This muscle is not covered by the official SENIAM catalogue — placement is based on established clinical literature. This page documents the exact electrode position, anatomical attachments and a standardized test movement based on Hermens et al. (2000).

Function Flexion at the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) of fingers II-V, wrist flexion Origin Medial epicondyle of the humerus, coronoid process of the ulna, radius Insertion Middle phalanges of fingers II-V (lateral surfaces) Innervation Median nerve, C7–T1

Innervation after Perotto AO, Anatomical Guide for the Electromyographer, 5th ed. 2011 — an anatomical reference, not an electrode placement recommendation.

Test Movement

Finger flexion at the middle joint against resistance

This muscle has no SENIAM-standardized electrode position. Placement should be based on anatomical knowledge.

Detail: group test, sensor on the reference muscle of the group (M. Flexor Carpi Radialis) — Group test — image shows the reference muscle of the group (M. Flexor Carpi Radialis). Illustration shows the left side; the set-up is mirrored for the right side.

MVC reference test (Konrad 2005)

Position: Seated or kneeling in front of a bench with the forearm resting on a stable support.
Fixation: Forearm fully supported; wrist free to work against the resistance.
Resistance: Manual resistance, a barbell or a cable/belt against the wrist or hand.
Control exercise: Use the latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major tests as control exercises.

Konrad treats the forearm flexors and extensors as one group; wrist flexion for the flexors, wrist extension for the extensors.

Konrad P. The ABC of EMG. Noraxon; 2005, p. 31. Konrad describes this test at group level; it applies to all muscles of the group. · Why and how to normalise to MVC

Measure M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis activity live

The electrode is placed — what next? easyEMG visualises muscle activity in real time, with SENIAM-compliant placement guidance, up to 4 channels at once and biofeedback training right afterwards.

In therapy, this muscle is usually about tone regulation and consciously relaxing below a threshold.

EMG biofeedback in therapy → What is EMG biofeedback? PicoBlue sensors

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I place the EMG electrode on the M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis?

On the flexor side of the mid-forearm, approximately three quarters of the distance from the elbow to the wrist; flex only the fingers (not the wrist) and record where the movement is felt most clearly. Orientation: Parallel to the muscle fibres, 2 cm inter-electrode distance - quasi-specific site, crosstalk from the neighbouring finger flexors. Not covered by SENIAM — placement per Criswell 2011.

Which test movement activates the M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis?

Finger flexion at the middle joint against resistance. It serves as a signal check before recording: with correct electrode placement the EMG amplitude rises clearly during this movement.

Is the M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis a SENIAM-recommended muscle?

No. The M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis is not included in the official SENIAM catalogue. The electrode position documented here follows the established protocol per Criswell 2011.

M. Flexor Digitorum Superficialis

Electrode placement (Criswell 2011)