| Objective: To observe the immediate effects of Orthosuit on trunk motion capture and hemiparetic limbs’ surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals in stroke patients. Methods: Twenty stroke patients performed forward stretching activities with hemiplegic upper limb in standing before and after wearing Orthosuit. A motion capture system was used to measure trunk forward flexion, rotation and lateral flexion angles. A sEMG system was used to analyze the integral EMG (iEMG) values of pectoralis major, anterior deltoid fasciculus, middle deltoid fasciculus, upper trapezius, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, rectus femoris, gluteus medius, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius on the hemiplegic side, as well as the cooperative contraction rate (CR) of the triceps. Results: Compared with no Orthosuit wearing, the trunk forward flexion and lateral flexion angles were reduced with Orthosuit worn when stretching forward (both P<0.05). The iEMG values of anterior deltoid fasciculus, upper trapezius, middle deltoid fasciculus, biceps brachii, rectus femoris, gluteus medius and gastrocnemius were increased (all P<0.05), attaching with the CR values of triceps brachii increased (P<0.05). Conclusion: The Orthosuit can assist hemiplegic patients to stabilize posture, provide trunk support and limit abnormal compensatory posture, as well as improve the motor control ability of upper and lower limb muscles. |
