Park Hye-Kang, Jung Joonyoung, Lee Dong-Woo, Shin Hyung Cheol, Lee Hwang-Jae, Lee Wan-Hee
Department of Physical Therapy, Graduate School, Sahmyook University, Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Human Enhancement and Assistive Technology Research Section, Artificial Intelligent Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Korea.
Technol Health Care. 2022;30(2):423-435. doi: 10.3233/THC-212849.
Wearable technologies have been developed for healthy aging. The technology for electromyography (EMG)-controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems has been developed, but research on how helpful it is in daily life has been insufficient.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the EMG-controlled FES system on muscle morphology, balance, and gait in older adults.
Twenty-nine older adults were evaluated under two randomly assigned conditions (non-FES and FES assists). Muscle morphology, balance, gait function, and muscle effort during gait were measured using ultrasonography, a physical test, a gait analysis system, and EMG.
The EMG-controlled FES system improved gait speed by 11.1% and cadence by 15.6% (P< 0.01). The symmetry ratio of the bilateral gastrocnemius was improved by 9.9% in the stance phase and 11.8% in the swing phase (P< 0.05). The degrees of coactivation of the knee and ankle muscles were reduced by 45.1% and 50.5%, respectively (P< 0.05). Balance improved by 6-10.7% (P< 0.01).
The EMG-controlled FES system is useful for balance and gait function by increasing muscle symmetry and decreasing muscle coactivation during walking in older adults.
可穿戴技术已被开发用于健康老龄化。肌电图（EMG）控制的功能性电刺激（FES）系统技术已经得到发展，但关于其在日常生活中的帮助程度的研究还不够充分。
本研究的目的是调查EMG控制的FES系统对老年人肌肉形态、平衡和步态的影响。
29名老年人在两种随机分配的条件下（非FES和FES辅助）进行评估。使用超声检查、体能测试、步态分析系统和肌电图测量肌肉形态、平衡、步态功能和步态期间的肌肉用力情况。
EMG控制的FES系统使步态速度提高了11.1%，步频提高了15.6%（P<0.01）。双侧腓肠肌的对称率在站立期提高了9.9%，在摆动期提高了11.8%（P<0.05）。膝关节和踝关节肌肉的共同激活程度分别降低了45.1%和50.5%（P<0.05）。平衡能力提高了6 - 10.7%（P<0.01）。
EMG控制的FES系统通过增加老年人行走时的肌肉对称性和减少肌肉共同激活，对平衡和步态功能有益。
