EMG muscle re-educational training using upper limb robotics for BPI

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K19303
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Kubota Shigeki 筑波大学, 医学医療系, 准教授 (90763798)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ロボットリハビリテーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The cases of six patients in whom elbow flexor reconstruction (intercostal nerve transfer) for brachial plexus injury (BPI) was started the upper limb single-joint Hybrid Assistive Limb (upper limb HAL-SJ) training postoperatively. All patients could implement elbow training using the upper limb HAL-SJ even in MMT grade 1 of their elbow flexion power. Furthermore, in six patients, we measured muscle activity of the biceps at the times of MMT grade 1 and 2. Elbow flexion was measured using a wireless surface EMG system, and results with and without HAL were compared. Mean amplitude of biceps with/without HAL during elbow flexion were 75.1 ± 22.8% and 60.3 ±16.8%, respectively. The biceps mean amplitude measurements with HAL was significantly higher than without HAL. Our results suggest that biofeedback training with upper limb HAL is a potential electromyographic effective robotic training method after BPI.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

肘屈曲再建術が行われた腕神経叢損傷者に対して、上肢HALを用いたバイオフィードバック訓練は、非装着時に比べて上肢HAL装着時が有意に高値を示したため、筋電図学的に良質なバイオフィードバック訓練となり、従来のバイオフィードバック療法よりも、上肢HALを用いた訓練が筋電図学的に優れる訓練手法である可能性が示唆された。今後、本研究は、被検者数をさらに増加し、またより高い訓練効果が見込める訓練手法の探索や、回復メカニズムに関する解析研究を予定している。本研究の成果を国内・外学会・国際ジャーナルに対して投稿・公表し、社会的意義を果たす予定である。