Altered motor control and spasticity after spinal cord injury: Subjective and objective assessment

This study of measures of spasticity, or altered motor control, compares th e clinically used Ashworth scale with a method based on surface electromyog raphic (sEMG) recordings called brain motor control assessment (BMCA) in a group of 97 subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) and varying levels of mo tor dysfunction. In this paper, we describe how sEMG-derived scores relate to the severity of spasticity as judged clinically. When sEMG data from pas sive movements from the BMCA were analyzed by Ashworth category, we found t hat when the sEMG data were averaged for a limb, there was a significant di fference between scores for those with Ashworth 0 vs. 2 and 3, and 1 vs. 2 and 3 (p<0.001), but not between 0 and 1. Analysis of the individual muscle scores improved the discrimination between Ashworth categories. Superiorit y of sEMG data over Ashworth category as an objective quantification of alt ered motor control ("spasticity") is argued.