Triaxial MMG investigation during FES-induced cycle movements

Abstract

Spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord that results in loss of functions, causes muscle, joint and bone deficits, moreover it increases the muscle tone level. FEScycling is an alternative rehabilitation process to conserve the musculoskeletal system affected by the injury in the functional state. The aim of this study is to get the legs bilaterally synchronized by FES and compare MMG signal responses. The preliminary protocol consists of five consecutive contractions. The first and the last contractions were discarded and the three intermediate contractions were analyzed. A ratio between MMG values of muscle responses during propulsion and return of pedalling phases was calculated for each cycle and each leg. The applied FES profile consisted of pulse and burst on time of 250 us and 5 ms and frequencies of 1000 Hz and 20 Hz, respectively. Results showed that greater MMG RMS values tend to occur during the propulsion phase than in the return phase. MMG Z axis of RLL and MMG X axis of LLL were the axes that presented the greatest ratios. The MMG RMS signal showed that greater values tend to occur during the propulsion phase than in the return phase of the same thigh.