Semitendinosus (right) — SENIAM EMG Electrode Placement

Recording notes & source

per Criswell 2011, site „Medial and Lateral Hamstring“, p. 369

Placement type: Specific site The signal originates predominantly from this muscle.
Signal check: Prone: flex the knee against resistance; standing: flex the knee.
Crosstalk from: lateral hamstrings (biceps femoris) · semimembranosus · quadriceps

The position above follows SENIAM; the crosstalk and artefact notes apply to surface recording of this muscle in general.

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

Source: SENIAM (Hermens 2000) ↗

Hermens HJ, Freriks B, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rau G. Development of recommendations for SEMG sensors and sensor placement procedures. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2000;10(5):361-74.

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 → Which Muscles Cannot Be Measured With Surface EMG — and Why →

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. Semitendinosus (Semitendinosus) is a muscle of the thigh posterior region. It is responsible for knee flexion, hip extension, internal rotation of the lower leg with flexed knee. This muscle is one of 26 with official SENIAM-recommended surface EMG electrode placement. This page documents the exact electrode position, anatomical attachments and a standardized test movement based on Hermens et al. (2000).

Function Knee flexion, hip extension, internal rotation of the lower leg with flexed knee Origin Ischial tuberosity (together with long head of M. biceps femoris) Insertion Pes anserinus (proximal medial tibial surface) Innervation Tibial division of the sciatic nerve, L5–S2

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

Clinical applications (SENIAM)

Hamstring injury prevention
Sprint and athletic movement analysis
Post-ACL rehabilitation

Test Movement

Knee flexion in prone position against resistance with foot internal rotation

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

MVC reference test (Konrad 2005)

Position: Prone, unilateral knee flexion held at about 20–30° knee flexion.
Fixation: Very good hip fixation (belt or a heavy person holding the pelvis).
Resistance: Manual resistance or strap at the heel, knee flexion against it.
Control exercise: The prone erector spinae test is the important check exercise.

Konrad tests the hamstrings as one group ("Mm. ischiocrurales"); surface EMG does not separate the medial and lateral heads well.

Konrad P. The ABC of EMG. Noraxon; 2005, p. 32. Konrad describes this test at group level; it applies to all muscles of the group. · Why and how to normalise to MVC

Measure M. Semitendinosus 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 training, what matters for this muscle is targeted activation and left/right symmetry.

EMG biofeedback training → What is EMG biofeedback? PicoBlue sensors

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I place the EMG electrode on the M. Semitendinosus?

50% on line between ischial tuberosity and medial epicondyle of the tibia. Orientation: Parallel to line ischial tuberosity-medial epicondyle. Based on the official SENIAM recommendations (Hermens et al. 2000).

Which test movement activates the M. Semitendinosus?

Knee flexion in prone position against resistance with foot internal rotation. This movement is part of the SENIAM protocol for standardized contraction verification.

Is the M. Semitendinosus a SENIAM-recommended muscle?

Yes. The M. Semitendinosus is one of 26 muscles for which the SENIAM project has published official surface EMG electrode placement recommendations.

M. Semitendinosus

Electrode Placement (SENIAM)