Advanced rehabilitation for amputees after selective nerve transfers: EMG-guided training and testing

Abstract

A special kind of selective nerve transfer, targeted muscle reinnervation, can provide upper limb amputees with up to 6 intuitive myosignals to govern their myoelectric prosthesis. Following surgery, a comprehensive rehabilitation package is required. It should include electromyographic (EMG) feedback training to facilitate recruitment of newly reinnervated muscles. In order to select appropriate tasks for training, an EMG testing tool is required that can provide clinicians with scores directly reflecting the patient’s ability to generate myoelectric signals. Here, an EMG testing tool implementing the Item Response Theory for ability classification is presented. Used for testing healthy subjects and patients, the tool was able to detect an increase of muscular coordination with training, as well as existing deficits in motor control. These findings suggest that this tool can assist in rehabilitation planning for patients after selective nerve transfers.