Eid Mohamed Ahmed Mahmoud, Aly Sobhy M, El-Shamy Shamekh M
From the Department of Physical Therapy, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, KSA (MAME, SMA); and Departments of Physical Therapy For Disturbances of Growth and Development in Children and Its Surgery (MAME, SME-S), and Biomechanics (SMA), Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Dec;95(12):921-930. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000524.
To investigate the effects of electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training on pain, quadriceps strength, and functional ability in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
This is a randomized controlled study; 36 children (11 boys and 25 girls) with polyarticular JRA, with ages ranging from 8 to 13 years, were selected and assigned randomly, using computer-generated random numbers, into 2 groups. The control group (n = 18) received the conventional physical therapy program, whereas the study group (n = 18) received the same program as the control group in addition to EMG biofeedback-guided isometric exercises for 3 days a week for 12 weeks. Pain, peak torque of quadriceps strength, and functional ability were evaluated before, after 6 weeks, and at the end of 12 weeks of the treatment program.
By 6 weeks, significant differences were observed in the study group (P < 0.05) in all measured variables except pain levels, whereas nonsignificant differences were observed in all measured variables in the control group. By 12 weeks, each group demonstrated significant improvements in pain, quadriceps strength, and functional ability (P < 0.05), with significantly greater improvements seen in the study group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Both groups showed significant improvement at 12 weeks compared to that at 6 weeks.
Electromyographic biofeedback may be a useful intervention modality to reduce pain, improve quadriceps strength, and functional performance in JRA.
探讨肌电图（EMG）生物反馈训练对幼年类风湿关节炎（JRA）患儿疼痛、股四头肌力量及功能能力的影响。
这是一项随机对照研究；选取36例年龄在8至13岁之间的多关节型JRA患儿（11例男孩和25例女孩），使用计算机生成的随机数将其随机分为2组。对照组（n = 18）接受常规物理治疗方案，而研究组（n = 18）除接受与对照组相同的方案外，还每周进行3天、共12周的EMG生物反馈引导下的等长运动训练。在治疗方案开始前、6周后和12周结束时评估疼痛、股四头肌力量峰值和功能能力。
到6周时，研究组除疼痛水平外的所有测量变量均观察到显著差异（P < 0.05），而对照组的所有测量变量均未观察到显著差异。到12周时，每组在疼痛、股四头肌力量和功能能力方面均表现出显著改善（P < 0.05），与对照组相比，研究组的改善更为显著（P < 0.05）。与6周时相比，两组在12周时均显示出显著改善。
肌电图生物反馈可能是一种有用的干预方式，可减轻JRA患儿的疼痛、改善股四头肌力量和功能表现。
