Surface electromyography for assessing the effect of exercise among patients with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Objective To study the applicability of surface electromyography (sEMG) for assessing the efficacy of exercise among Parkinson′s disease (PD) patients. Methods Twenty PD patients were giving exercise training combined with visual and auditory stimulation. They were evaluated using the unified Parkinson′s disease rating scale (UPDRS) and the 10 metre walking speed test before and immediately after 6 weeks of treatment. sEMG was used to assess the characteristics of the gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius in different states of motion. Results Compared to before the intervention, the average ability of daily life (ADL) scores and the motor function dimensions of the UPDRS had decreased significantly. 10m walking time also decreased significantly. The root mean square (RMS) amplitude of the EMG signals from the muscles on both sides decreased significantly when standing motionless, but increased to some degree when walking. Significant differences were observed in the RMS values of the rectus femoris and gastrocnemius, and those of the gluteus maximus on the mildly-affected side when walking. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed that except for the gluteus maximus during walking there were significant differences between the 2 sides in the RMS values of all the other muscles. Conclusions Exercise training combined with visual and auditory stimulation can improve ADL, motor function and walking. sEMG readings can reflect resting tremor, the degree of muscle rigidity and muscle function accurately and provide the basis for developing individualized training programs. Key words: Parkinson′s disease; Surface electromyography; Visual stimulation; Auditory stimulation; Exercise