REPEATED MAXIMUM RECIPROCAL KNEE MOVEMENTS IN PATIENTS WITH MINIMAL OVERT SYMPTOMS AFTER ISCHEMIC STROKE - AN EVALUATION MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE AND EMG

The ability to perform reciprocal knee flexions and knee extensions wa s investigated in patients with minimal or no overt motor symptoms aft er stroke, Ten patients and 22 controls performed 10 maximal reciproca l knee extensions and knee flexions without intervening rest period us ing an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex II). Peak torque (PT; Nm), signal amplitude (RMS) and mean frequency (fmean) of the electromyography we re registered for each extension and flexion separately and as the rat io extension/flexion, The patients exhibited pronounced motor deficit despite no or minimal overt clinical symptoms, The reduced motor capac ity in the knee muscles was shown as a decrease in the PT and in a dif ferent electromyographic pattern compared with the controls. A bilater al affection was found with the formerly hemiparetic side mostly affec ted. Repeated reciprocal contractions influenced the motor performance , shown as an increase of the PT ratio in the patients, which was espe cially pronounced with an increasing number of contractions.