A comparison study about the surface electromyography on the anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscles between the patients of stroke in different stage of recovery

Objective:To explore the feature and regularity of surface electromyography in different stage of recovery of hemiplegic patients after stroke. Method: Seventeen hemiplegic patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A, 9 subjects′ lower extremity at Brunnstrom motor recovery stage Ⅳ; Group B, 8 subjects, at Brunnstrom recovery stageⅤ. The signals of surface electromyography of anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscles were recorded during maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of ankle dorsiflexion. Integrated EMG and co-contraction ratio of both groups were compared and analyzed. Result: There were great significant differences in integrated EMG of anterior tibialis muscles and co-contraction ratio of affected side between two groups(P0.01﹚. However, no significant difference was found in integrated EMG of affected side gastrocnemius muscles, as well as the anterior tibialis and gastrocnemius muscles and co-contraction ratio of the unaffected side between two groups(P0.05). There were significant differences in the integrated EMG of anterior tibialis muscles and co-contraction ratio affected side and unaffected side between both groups(P0.01—0.05﹚. Conclusion: The function of ankle dorsiflexion contraction and the ability of inhibiting antagonist co-contraction in later stage of recovery after stroke were greatly better than earlier stage. As a convenient and untraumatogenic examination technique, surface electromyography has potential value in motor functional assessment for hemiplegic patient after stroke.