Comparison of EMG Activity during Horticulture Motion and Rehabilitation Motion of Upper Limb

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare EMG activity during horticulture motion and upper limb rehabilitation motion, to confirm whether horticulture motion is suitable for upper extremity rehabilitation of hemiparesis. Design: Three-group cross-sectional design. Methods: The 45 subjects were divided into three groups: hemiparesis (n=15), elderly (n=15) and healthy (n=15). We have recorded EMG signals of six upper limb muscles Upper trapezius (UT), Middle deltoid (MD), Anterior deltoid (AD), Biceps brachii (BB), Triceps brachii (TB), Brachioradialis (BR) during horticultural motions and three upper limb rehabilitative motions. The dependent variables were peak EMG, integral EMG, co-contraction ratio. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the horticultural motion and rehabilitation motion of the three groups. Results: The peak EMG was significantly different in MD, AD, BB, TB according to the motion(p<0.05), and the UT, BB were significant differences according to the group(p<0.05). The integral EMG was significantly different in MD, AD, BB, TB, BR according to the motion(p<0.05), and the BB were significant differences according to the group(p<0.05). The co-contraction ratio was significantly different in TB/BB according of the motion, and there was no difference between the groups. Conclusions: As a result of this study, horticultural motion alone was insufficient for upper arm rehabilitation, and horticultural motion alone was insufficient to induce continuous activity of the forearm.