Electromyography-Triggered Constraint-Induced Movement Cycling Therapy for Enhancing Motor Function in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract: This study investigated the effectiveness of electromyography (EMG)-induced con-straint-induced movement cycling therapy (CIMCT) in patients with chronic stroke. This sin-gle-blind randomized controlled trial focused on improving balance, lower extremity strength, and activities of daily living in patients with stroke. The participants included patients with chronic stroke-induced hemiplegia diagnosed with specific levels of cognitive and motor recovery for > 6 months. The trial lasted 4 weeks and participants were divided into a CIMCT group and a general cycling training (GCT) group. The CIMCT group used an EMG-triggered constrained-induced movement therapy device, whereas the GCT group used a standard stationary bicycle. The primary outcomes included a significant increase in muscle strength on the affected side in the CIMCT group and no notable improvement in the GCT group. Both groups demonstrated significantly improved dynamic balance; however, the CIMCT group outperformed the GCT group. Both groups also displayed significant improvements in the activities of daily living, with the CIMCT group exhib-iting the greatest improvement. This study concludes that EMG-triggered CIMCT effectively im-proved muscle strength, postural balance, functional activity, and activities of daily living in pa-tients with chronic stroke.