Journal
NEUROREHABILITATION AND NEURAL REPAIR
Volume 16, Issue 3, Pages 241-248Publisher
SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC
DOI: 10.1177/154596802401105180
Keywords
cocontraction; hemiparesis; arm; disability
Categories
Funding
- NICHD NIH HHS [1R29HD35616, T32HD07500] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The purpose of this article is to describe the relationship between poststroke upper limb muscle weakness and cocontraction, and clinical measures of tipper limb motor impairment and physical disability. Electrowyographic (EMG) activity of the paretic and nonparetic wrist flexors and extensors of 26 chronic stroke survivors were recorded during isometric wrist flexion and extension. The root mean square (RMS) of the EMG signal was used as a measure of strength of contraction. A ratio of RMS of antagonist and agonist muscles was used as a measure of cocontraction. Upper limb motor impairment and physical disability were assessed with the Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and the arm motor ability test (AMAT), respectively. The strength of muscle contraction was signiticantly stronger in the nonparetic limb (P < 0.001). The degree of cocontraction was significantly greater in the paretic limb (P < 0.001). The strength of muscle contraction in the paretic limb correlated significantly with FMA (r = 0.62 to 0.87, P less than or equal to 0.001) and AMAT(r = 0.66 to 0.80, P 0.001) scores. Similarly, the degree of cocontraction correlated significantly with FMA (r = -0.70 to -0.64, P less than or equal to 0.001) and AMAT (r = -0. 72 to -0.62, P < 0.001) scores. Muscle weakness and degree of cocontraction correlate significantly with motor impairment and physical disability in upper limb bemiplegia. This relationship may provide insights toward development of specific interventions. However, additional studies are needed to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available