F-1-04-01
A PROGRAM FOR ISOKINETIC QUANTIFICATION OF MUSCLE TONICITY
A. Therenon., N. RevueIra, V. Petit, S. Pille, R. Zimny, (C.H.U. de Lille, France)
Isokinetic dynamometers are designed to measure torque during the motion of a joint at a definite speed and a definite range. They could give all the informations needed to assess muscle tonicity. However studies using such devices are rare, probably because of the inadequacy of the softwares.
From a Cybex*6000 dynamometer and a EMG recording device, with Labview* software, after setting adapted filters and gravity correction, our program permit to display, and store the velocity, the angular position the range of motion and the muscle torque. The work done by the machine, the threshold angle for EMG activity or resistive torque, the slope of the torque/angle relationship, the total work and even the slope of the work/velocity regression line can be compute.
There is evidence of a good reproductibility of our measures hi healthy subjects and in patients with spastic hemiplegia or parkinsonism. Nevertheless, more studies are required to choose the more pertinent data for each condition.
F-1-04-02
EVALUATION OF SPASTICITY BY MEASUREMENT OF TORQUE AROUND ANKLE IN PASSIVE MOVEMENT
Hideyuki Naqaoki, Ryouhei Konaka, Shigenobu Ishigami (National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan), Hideo Tomita (Tokyo Denki University, Saitama, Japan)
Evaluation and control of spasticity are especially important in stroke rehabilitation. We have developed a new system which could objectively quantify spasticity of the ankle joint and presented at IRMA 7th. We examined the confidence of this system and got some data. Subjects: 34 stroke patients and 9 normal as control participated in this study. Method: Subjects were instructed to sit on a chair with the thigh horizontal and the knee flexed 30 degrees. The foot was firmly fixed to the footplate to rotate around the ankle axis. Range of motion was 40 degrees. The computer output are the torque around the ankle joint and the foot angle in the passive rotatory movement. At the same time electromyograms were monitored with the surface electrodes on the gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, and rectus femoris by the EMG monitoring system (Mega Electronics, ME3000P). Pendulum test was also examined. Results: The value of maximum torque were higher in patients with spasticity than in the normal group with statistically significant difference. The value of maximum torque were higher in the high grade of Modified Ashworth Scale group than low grade group significantly. The value of spasticity was in proportion to the amount of torque. The amount of R2 index of pendulum test was also in proportion to the amount of torque. We could evaluate effect of stretching, brace and medications as a spasticity treatment by using this system. Conclusion: There was a relationship between the degree of spasticity and the amount of torque in our evaluation system. This system has a strong possibility to evaluate the spasticity objectively.
