PHASE-DEPENDENT ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ACTIVITY OF THE LOWER-LIMB MUSCLES OF A PATIENT WITH CLINICALLY COMPLETE SPINAL-CORD INJURY DURING ORTHOTIC GAIT

We examined the lower-limb electromyograph ic (EMG) activity from a pa tient with clinically complete spinal cord injury during orthotic gait . A newly developed gait orthosis was used to obtain bipedal locomotio n. The surface EMG data during the gait together with the biomechanica l variables were collected by way of a radio EMG system. A cyclic EMG activation pattern corresponding to the gait cycles were observed in e ach of the paralyzed lower-limb muscles during the orthotic gait. Alth ough the EMG activation did not seem to contribute toward generating t he gait, it showed some similarities to that of the infant stepping or immature gait. These results might be regarded as one of the indirect pieces of evidence that suggest the existence of a spinally originati ng motor mechanism underlying human locomotion.