EMG median frequency shifts without change in muscle oxygenation following novel locomotor training in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury

Objectives: To examine the effect of muscle fiber recruitment patterns on muscle oxygen utilization during treadmill walking in a group of individuals who have incomplete spinal cord injury.

Methods: 5 participants with motor incomplete spinal cord injury (Age; 42.2 ± 18.8 years, Male; n = 4) completed an over ground locomotor training program. Muscle utilization/oxygenation and activation of the medial gastrocnemius were measured by near infrared spectroscopy and surface electromyography pre- and post-over ground locomotor training during two separate treadmill walking bouts at self-selected speeds. Outcomes were changes in deoxygenation hemoglobin/myoglobin concentrations, and the change in median power of the power spectrum of the electromyography after training.

Results: A significant increase in median power of the power spectrum of the electromyography signal was observed during both bouts of treadmill walking, 6-minute walking bout and longer fatiguing bout (49% p = 0.047 and 48% p = 0.035, respectively) post-over ground locomotor training. There was no significant change in muscle utilization/oxygenation post-over ground locomotor training. There was no significant effect of median power of the power spectrum on deoxygenation hemoglobin/myoglobin during either of the walking bouts.

Conclusions: The main finding of the current study was that median power of the power spectrum significantly increased following 12 weeks of over ground locomotor training, with no significant change in deoxygenation hemoglobin/myoglobin. The recruitment of more and/or larger motor units was seen in conjunction with no changes in muscle oxygen utilization for the same walking task.Implications for RehabilitationThe reduction of skeletal muscle innervation in Spinal Cord Injury may adversely affect the orderly recruitment of motor units, which could in turn blunt the oxidative metabolic response during physical activity.Over-ground locomotor could be a useful tool in the rehabilitative process following an incomplete spinal cord injury.