Kinematic and Electromyographic Analysis of Reaching Pattern in Stroke Patients

Abstract

This study was an attempt to analyze and quantify the influence of changed EMG activities of selected muscles acting during reaching pattern on the shoulder flexion, elbow extension and wrist extension ROM and on the level of motor impairment of reaching movement in cases of adult stroke patients.

Thirty adults suffering from stroke (as proved clinically and radiographically) were included in this study. The patients served as one study group. The testing protocol included EMG muscle activity amplitudes of the selected muscles (clavicular head of pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, lateral head of triceps and radial wrist extensors). 3-D motion analysis of the shoulder flexion, elbow and wrist extension was recorded. The level of motor impairment of reaching pattern was measured through the RPS.

The EMG measured amplitudes of the selected muscles of the affected and non affected upper limbs were compared. The measured shoulder, elbow and wrist ROM from the affected and non affected upper limbs was compared. The correlations between the measured EMG amplitudes and degrees of ROM from the affected and non affected upper limbs were quantified. Also the correlations between the level of motor impairment (RPS scores) with the measured EMG activities and ROM of the affected limb were studied. Results indicated that the reduced EMG amplitudes in the affected arm of stroke patients was the main cause of decreased ROM and increased level of motor impairment of reaching pattern in stroke population. This work will provide a way to measure the natural recovery and treatment efficacy within specific neurological deficits