Muscle Activation during Gait in Children with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
The aim of this prospective study was to investigate changes in muscle activity during gait in children with Duchenne muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Dynamic surface electromyography recordings (EMGs) of 16 children with DMD and pathological gait were compared with those of 15 control children. The activity of the rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL), medial hamstrings (HS), tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius soleus (GAS) muscles was recorded and analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. The overall muscle activity in the children with DMD was significantly different from that of the control group. Percentage activation amplitudes of RF, HS and TA were greater throughout the gait cycle in the children with DMD and the timing of GAS activity differed from the control children. Significantly greater muscle coactivation was found in the children with DMD. There were no significant differences between sides. Since the motor command is normal in DMD, the hyper-activity and co-contractions likely compensate for gait instability and muscle weakness, however may have negative consequences on the muscles and may increase the energy cost of gait. Simple rehabilitative strategies such as targeted physical therapies may improve stability and thus the pattern of muscle activity.
CHRU de Brest, service de pédiatrie, Brest, France.|Laboratoire de Traitement de l'Information Médicale INSERM U1101, Brest, France.
Juliette
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3948-8632
J
Ropars
Laboratoire de Traitement de l'Information Médicale INSERM U1101, Brest, France.|CHRU de Brest, Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Brest, France.
Mathieu
M
Lempereur
L'Escale, service central de rééducation pédiatrique, Lyon, France.|CNRS, UMR 5558, Pierre-Bénite, France.
Carole
C
Vuillerot
CHRU de Lille, Service de médecine physique et de réadaptation, Lille, France.
Vincent
V
Tiffreau
CHRU de Brest, service de pédiatrie, Brest, France.
Sylviane
S
Peudenier
CHRU de Lille, service de neurologie pédiatrique, Lille, France.
Jean-Marie
JM
Cuisset
Centre de Référence Maladies Neuromusculaires Nantes-Angers, CHU de Nantes, Nantes, France.|Atlantic Gene Therapy Institute, Nantes, France.
Yann
Y
Pereon
CHU de Nantes, Pôle de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Nantes, France.
Fabien
F
Leboeuf
Plateforme « Mouvement et Handicap », Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France.
Ludovic
L
Delporte
Service de rééducation neurologique pédiatrique, centre de l'Arche, Le Mans, France.
Yannick
Y
Delpierre
CHRU de Lille, service de neurologie pédiatrique, Lille, France.
Raphaël
R
Gross
Laboratoire de Traitement de l'Information Médicale INSERM U1101, Brest, France.|CHRU de Brest, Service de Médecine Physique et Réadaptation, Brest, France.
Sylvain
S
Brochard
D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004576:Electromyography; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000503:physiopathology*