Surface EMG signals in very late-stage of Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a case study.
Joan Lobo-Prat, Mariska M H P Janssen, Bart F J M Koopman and 2 others
PMID 28851391WHAT IT FOUND
In one man with very late-stage Duchenne muscular dystrophy, muscle electrical signals from biceps and triceps were still measurable and could be used in a computer simulation to command elbow flexion and extension.
This is a single-case report, not evidence that a device works.
Key findings
01Surface EMG signals were measurable from the right biceps and triceps of a 37-year-old man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who had no arm or hand function.
02The participant could voluntarily adjust biceps and triceps activation at three submaximal levels, with actual levels slightly different from the targets.
03An off-line simulation used the measured signals to produce elbow flexion and extension movements, but a real elbow orthosis was not tested.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only one 37-year-old man was studied, so the results cannot show what would happen in other adults with very late-stage Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The participant had severe contractures and joint stiffness, so the elbow orthosis was simulated off-line rather than tested as a real device. The measured maximum amplitudes were 0.01 mV for biceps and 0.015 mV for triceps, so the signals were small. The submaximal activation levels were only one run each, and the actual levels achieved were slightly different from the target levels. The study used only the right arm, which was originally the dominant arm.
Declared interests
This research was funded by the European Union Seventh Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013 under grant agreement 600610 (MORPHEUS). The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a real robotic elbow orthosis can be used by adults with very late-stage Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The report tested only one person, used an off-line simulation, and the participant's joint stiffness and contractures prevented testing a real system.