Title
A Method For Quantifying Trunk Motor Control During Reaching In Individuals Post Hemiparetic Stroke
Abstract
After a hemiparetic stroke, the contralesional upper limb is left with significant motor impairments including: weakness, spasticity, and abnormal joint torque patterns resulting in the flexion synergy (i.e. abnormal coupling between shoulder abduction and elbow/wrist and finger flexion). These impairments, and in particular the flexion synergy, limit ability to reach to the full extent of their limb workspace. Motor control of the trunk is also altered post stroke, with compromised ability to stabilize the trunk and excessive trunk movement during reaching, abnormal isometric torque coupling patterns in the transverse and sagittal planes and weakness. These motor impairments in both trunk and arm limit their ability to perform activities of daily living. While the effect of stroke on reaching has been studied extensively, less is known about the impact of deficits in trunk motor control on reaching ability and the impact of the flexion synergy on trunk postural control. Methods for investigating altered trunk control, specifically during a reach when concurrent loads that elicit the flexion synergy are imposed on the limb and trunk, are limited. Specifically, trunk deficits have yet to be studied in the context of the flexion synergy whereby loads imposed on the arm to elicit shoulder abduction have a negative impact on reaching and potentially on trunk posture. In order to address this gap, we developed a system that integrates a robotic device to simulate varied reaching environments, surface electromyography to measure primary trunk and arm muscle activity, and a two-camera motion capture system that uses reflective markers to measure trunk and arm movement. Feasibility and usability of the system was established during evaluation of reaching ability with varying levels of shoulder abduction loads while the trunk is either restrained or unrestrained in two participants with stroke and a healthy control.
Year
DOI
Venue
2020
10.1109/EMBC44109.2020.9176096
42ND ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY: ENABLING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR GLOBAL HEALTHCARE EMBC'20
DocType
Volume
ISSN
Conference
2020
1557-170X
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
0
0.34
0
Authors
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Kathleen C Suvada100.34
Jasjit Deol200.34
Julius P. A. Dewald35213.12
Ana Maria Acosta400.68