Affiliations: [a] Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, St Paul, MN, USA | [b] Center for Gait and Motion Analysis, Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, St Paul, MN, USA
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Cammie Beattie, 200 University Ave E, St Paul, MN 55101, USA. Tel.: +1 651 683 2820; Fax: +1 651 229 1767; E-mail:cbeattie@gillettechildrens.com
Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this proof of concept study is to
demonstrate that electromyographic (EMG) activation patterns of leg muscles
differ predictably among patients with predominantly spasticity, patients
with predominantly dystonia, and typically developing control subjects
during rest, volitional movement, and passively induced movement. METHODS: Eight control subjects, 6 subjects with dystonia, and 7
subjects with spasticity were recruited, ages 6-25 years. Surface EMG
sensors were applied over 4 muscle groups of each leg. EMG recordings and
video were obtained during rest, quick stretch, and volitional movement. The
number of muscles active during 3 resting, 4 quick stretch, and 8 volitional
movement items were averaged and compared across subject groups. RESULTS: Control subjects showed minimal numbers of muscles active
during resting, quick stretch, or volitional movement activities. Spastic
subjects showed multiple muscles responding with high amplitude to quick
stretch but not to volitional movement activities. Dystonic subjects showed
multiple muscles responding to volitional movement activities but not to
quick stretch. Analysis with a Kruskal-Wallis test indicated significant
differences between the three groups in numbers of muscles activated during
quick stretch activities (p= 0.017) and volitional movement activities
(p= 0.005). CONCLUSION: EMG data collected with this protocol may be useful for
distinguishing spastic from dystonic hypertonia.
