Final answer:
Methods to facilitate a muscle contraction during EMG biofeedback can include contracting the opposite limb first and using electrical stimulation. These are part of therapeutic measures to enhance muscle control and are used in various health and rehabilitation settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
Methods used to facilitate a muscle contraction during EMG biofeedback include having the patient contract the muscle on the opposite limb first and applying electrical stimulation to evoke a muscle contraction. Having the patient contract the muscle immediately after surgical repair to the tendon or applying EMG biofeedback on the opposite limb first are not mentioned as standard methods for facilitating muscle contraction in the context of EMG biofeedback.
A skeletal muscle contraction begins with the electrochemical stimulation of a muscle fiber by a motor neuron at the neuromuscular junction. Reflex actions, such as tapping a tendon with a rubber mallet, are intrinsic reflexive contractions useful for stability and serve as indicators of lower motor neuron (LMN) function during neurological examinations.
Electrical stimulation can be used to trigger these reflex actions or externally prompt muscle contractions, which can be beneficial in therapeutic settings such as rehabilitation after a tendon repair surgery.