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Publication

SWEAT² study

Journal Contribution - Journal Article

Subtitle:effectiveness of trunk training on muscle activity after stroke: a randomized controlled trial
BACKGROUND: Trunk training after stroke is an effective method for improving trunk control, standing balance and mobility. The SWEAT² study attempts to discover the underlying mechanisms leading to the observed mobility carry-over effects after trunk training. AIM: A secondary analysis investigating the effect of trunk training on muscle activation patterns, muscle synergies and motor unit recruitment of trunk and lower limbs muscles, aimed to provide new insights in gait recovery after stroke. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Monocentric study performed in the rehabilitation hospital RevArte (Antwerp, Belgium) POPULATION: Forty-five adults diagnosed with first stroke within five months, of which 39 completed treatment and were included in the analysis. METHODS: Participants received 16 hours of additional trunk training (n=19) or cognitive training (n=20) over the course of four weeks (1 hour, 4 times a week). They were assessed by an instrumented gait analysis with electromyography of trunk and lower limb muscles. Outcome measures were linear integrated normalised envelopes of the electromyography signal, the amount and composition of muscle synergies calculated by nonnegative matrix factorization and motor unit recruitment calculated, by mean centre wavelet frequencies. Multivariate analysis with post-hoc analysis and statistical parametric mapping of the continuous curves were performed RESULTS: No significant differences were found in muscle activation patterns and the amount of muscle synergies. In 42% of the subjects, trunk training resulted in an additional muscle synergy activating trunk muscles in isolation, as compared to 5% in the control group. Motor unit recruitment of the of trunk musculature showed decreased fast-twitch motor recruitment in the erector spinae muscle after trunk training: for the hemiplegic (t(37)=2.44,p=0.021) and onhemiplegic erector spinae muscle (t(37)=2.36,p=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Trunk training improves selective control and endurance of trunk musculature after sub-acute stroke.
Journal: European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
ISSN: 1973-9087
Volume: 57
Pages: 485 - 494
Publication year:2021
Keywords:A1 Journal article
Accessibility:Open