Résumé
Objective To explore how the spared muscles in upper limbs and trunk compensated for elbow extension movements in patients with SCI at the level of C_5 and C_6.Methods Fifteen patients with SCI at the level of C_5 and C_6 and fifteen healthy subjects were divided into an SCI group and a control group respectively.The surface EMG recorded from the anterior dehoid,middle deltoid,posterior deltoid,triceps braehii muscle,biceps braehii muscle,upper peetoralis,serratus anterior and latissimus dorsi during four elbow extension activities including grasp- ing cup,reaching for light-switch,wheelchair ambulation and upper limb weight-bearing.The relative EMG intensi- ties of muscles were expressed as a percentage of maximal voluntary contraction.Results Several muscles partici- pated in the activity simultaneously when both groups of subjects performed every motor task.But the primary muscles involved in the movements were different between the two groups.Furthermore,the SCI group tended to employ more muscles than the controls to perform a activity.The compensatory strategies used in various motor tasks by the spared muscles were different.Conclusion The motorueuron recruitment patterns used by the C_(5～6)SCI patients in per- forming elbow extension activities could be different from those by the healthy subjects.The patients accomplished performing different motor tasks by changing their compensatory strategies.