Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the characteristics of motor unit recruitment and
coordination function of the wrist during maximum isometric voluntary contraction
(MIVC) using surface electromyography (EMG) in children with hemiplegic cerebral
palsy (CP). DESIGN: A cross-sectional trial. SETTING: Hospital neurology and
rehabilitation department. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-eight children with spastic
hemiplegic CP. METHODS: The signals of wrist flexors and extensors in unaffected
and affected hands of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy were measured with
surface EMG. The characteristics of integrated EMG (iEMG), root mean square
(RMS), and co-contraction ratio of surface EMG were analyzed. RESULTS: The RMS
and iEMG in the affected hand during MIVC were higher than that of the unaffected
hand (P < .001). The RMS and iEMG of wrist extensors and the iEMG of wrist
flexors of the affected hand had a good correlation with the unaffected hand (P <
.01). The RMS and iEMG of the unaffected hand during MIVC were higher than that
of the affected hand (P < .001), and the iEMG of the unaffected hand had a good
correlation with the affected hand (P < .05). The RMS and iEMG in the unaffected
hand during MIVC were significantly higher than that of the affected hand during
MIVC (P < .001). The co-contraction ratio of the unaffected hand was
significantly lower than that of the affected hand (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The
affected side shows more co-contractions than the unaffected side in children
with hemiplegic CP. However, the unaffected side demonstrates stronger motor unit
recruitment at maximal effort than the affected side. In addition, this study
demonstrates the successful use of surface EMG for assessment of motor unit
activation in young children with CP.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS