The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy

The Korean Society of Physical Therapy (대한물리치료학회)
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EMG Study for Muscle Activation during Variable Gait Training in Stroke Patients: Stepper Climbing, Stair-up and Level-ground Gait

  • Kim, Cho-Rong (Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Health and Sports, Daejeon University) ;
  • Choi, Sung-Jin (Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School of Daejeon University) ;
  • Shin, Won-Seob (Department of Physical Therapy, College of Natural Science, Daejeon University)
  • Received : 2013.11.06
  • Accepted : 2013.12.09
  • Published : 2013.12.25
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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation patterns of lower extremities in stroke patients during stepper climbing, stair-up, and level-ground gait conditions by surface electromyography (EMG). Methods: Subjects included 19 hemiplegic patients comprehensive rehabilitation center for inpatients with stroke. Surface EMG was used to measure the subjects' medial gastrocnemius (GCM), tibialis anterior (TA), biceps femoris (BF), and rectus femoris (RF) activity as they took six steps during stepper climbing, stair-up, and level-ground gait conditions. Results: There was no significant difference in the BF or RF muscle activity for the stepper climbing, stair-up, and level-ground gait conditions. However, there were significant differences in the medial GCM and TA muscle activity between each condition on the patients' hemiplegic side(p<0.05). There was significant difference in the medial GCM, TA, RF, and BF muscle activity between each condition on the patients' non-hemiplegic side (p<0.05). Conclusion: As a result, the overall muscle activity during the level-ground gait was higher than the stair-up condition, and the muscle activity during the stair-up condition was higher than the muscle activity during the stepper climbing condition. As one of the many methods used for gait training, we suggest that the stepper exercise could be applied at an earlier stage in the gait training process.

Keywords

References

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