Affiliations: [a] Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine,
Linköping, Sweden | [b] Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, University Hospital,
SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden | [c] Department of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics,
Umeå University Hospital, Se-901 85 Umeå, Sweden
Note: [] Address for correspondence: B. Gerdle, Rehabilitation Medicine,
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences,
SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. Tel.: +46 13 221574; Fax: +46 13 224465;
E-mail: bjorn.gerdle@inr.liu.se
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to compare isokinetic muscle
performance of the knee extensors including surface EMG during repetitive
maximum contractions between children with hemiplegic CP and healthy controls.
A group of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) (16 boys and eight
girls; mean age 11 years with SD 2; range 7 to 15 years) and a control group
(14 boys and eight girls; mean age 10 years with SD 2; range 7 to 15 years)
participated. The relationships between maximum peak torque and the surface
electromyography (EMG) variable root mean square (RMS) were obtained during 100
concentric knee extensions at 90°/s. Surface EMG was
recorded from rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, and biceps femoris. The
children with CP were also tested using Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM).
There were no differences between the groups in muscle endurance for the
younger children. The results indicated that the children with CP had less
strength enhancement in the hemiplegic leg during puberty. Peak torque
correlated with GMFM and with RMS in rectus femoris and vastus lateralis.
Co-activation was found in biceps femoris, but it did not affect muscle
strength.
