Effect Of Arm Deweighting Using End-Effector Based Robotic Devices On Muscle Activity

Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2018 Jul:2018:2470-2474. doi: 10.1109/EMBC.2018.8512773.

Abstract

Deweighting of the limb is commonly performed for patients with a neurological injury, such as stroke, as it allows these patients with limited muscle activity to perform movements. Deweighting has been implemented in exoskeletons and other multi-contact devices, but not on an end-effector based device with single contact point between the assisting robot and the human limb being assisted. This study inves-tigates the effects of deweighting using an end-effector based device on healthy subjects. The muscle activity of five subjects was measured in both static postures and dynamic movements. The results indicate a decrease in the activity of muscles which typically act against gravity - such as the anterior deltoid and the biceps brachii - but also suggest an increase in activity in muscles which act with gravity - such as the posterior deltoid and the lateral triceps. This can be explained by both the change in required muscle-generated torques and a conscious change in approach by the participants. These observations have implications for neurorehabilitation, particularly with respect to the muscle activation patterns which are trained through rehabilitation exercises.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arm*
  • Electromyography
  • Humans
  • Movement
  • Muscle, Skeletal
  • Robotics