Comparisons of Electromyography and Discomfort According to Height of Key Board With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

This research investigated the difference in both discomfort and muscle activity in the musculoskeletal system for wrist depending on the height of the keyboard for patients suffering from cervical spinal cord damage and healthy adults. The research recruited 62 patients with Cerebral Infraction and assessed their cognitive and balance function. Fifteen people comprised of six cervical spinal cord injury patients (C6) and nine healthy people participated in the research. In the comparison of the electromyogram compared to the height of the keyboard, the research compared the electromyograms of the wrist extensor muscle per three conditions (elbow at 5cm below the head, elbow at head height, and elbow at 5cm overhead). For the statistical method, the research adopted one-way layout variance analysis by descriptive analysis, within-group and Freedman comparison, and non-parametric test. As a result, the muscle activity depending on the height of the keyboard did not show any significant difference (p>.05) in all three conditions for both damaged and healthy groups. The discomfort depending on the height showed significant differences depending on three heights for both damaged and healthy groups; the damaged group reported the least discomfort when the elbow was 5cm below the head, and the healthy group reported the least discomfort when the keyboard was 5cm over the head. The research confirmed that there is are differences in both wrist muscle activity and discomfort for patients with damaged cervical spinal cord and healthy adults.