title: Design and assessment of an adaptive intermittent cervical traction modality with EMG biofeedback.
abstract: An intermittent cervical traction modality with closed-loop traction force control based on EMG biofeedback was developed and used for clinical study. This system consists of a EMG scanner, on-line self-adjusted traction force controller, audio/video alarm system, real time therapeutic status display, computer interface hardware, and control software. Twenty-four subjects with diagnosed cervical radiculopathy and muscle spasm symptom who were randomly divided into two groups served as subjects in this study. The control and experimental groups were treated with conventional open loop and new EMG biofeedback closed loop traction control protocols respectively. The results of this study indicate that the average reductions in paraspinal EMG signal during traction after 7 weeks treatment for experimental and control groups were 71 and 50 percent, respectively (p < 0.001). These results not only support the clinical use of intermittent, sitting traction to produce cervical paraspinal muscle relaxation, but also revealed that the average myoelectric activity of cervical paraspinal muscle during traction was reduced as traction force increased over the 7-week duration of traction treatment. Through EMG biofeedback traction force control, muscle injury, neck soreness, or pain after traction may be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chang Gung College of Medicine and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: W K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Chiou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000628:therapy; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009443:Neuritis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted; D014143:Traction / Q000295:instrumentation*