Comparing Coactivation Levels of Children with Congenital Upper Limb Reductions Before and After 8-week Prosthesis Use

Presenter Type

UNO Graduate Student (Masters)

Major/Field of Study

Biomechanics

Author ORCID Identifier

0000-0003-1928-1917

Advisor Information

Jorge Zuniga

Location

MBSC306 - G (Masters)

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Start Date

24-3-2023 9:00 AM

End Date

24-3-2023 10:15 AM

Abstract

Children born with Upper Limb Reduction Deficiency (ULRD) often lack many motor functions and struggle to perform daily tasks. Prosthetic devices are often prescribed to children to assist with tasks of daily living. However, high prosthetic rejection rates are often attributed to a lack of functionality or wearability, which can be addressed through training programs. To better understand rejection rates, changes in muscle activity over training periods with a body-powered prosthesis can inform researchers how to enhance assistive devices and training. The purpose of this project is to collect Electromyography (EMG) data on children with congenital upper-limb reductions to compare muscle coactivation levels before and after an 8-week home training period. Children ages 5 to 19 will be recruited to participate in this study. They will be asked to complete two data collection sessions before and after an 8-week home-based training. During the data collections participants will be asked to perform maximum contractions while wearing EMG sensors. During the 8 weeks of training, they will be learning and practicing various tasks that mimic activities of daily living. We expect to find that the coactivation levels of children with ULRD will decrease over time due to the training because we predict that learning improves the functional performance of prosthetics through gradual increases in degrees of freedom.

Additional Information (Optional)

electrical outlet and connection to a screen to present slides.

Scheduling

9:15-10:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m.-Noon, 1-2:15 p.m.

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COinS
 
Mar 24th, 9:00 AM Mar 24th, 10:15 AM

Comparing Coactivation Levels of Children with Congenital Upper Limb Reductions Before and After 8-week Prosthesis Use

MBSC306 - G (Masters)

Children born with Upper Limb Reduction Deficiency (ULRD) often lack many motor functions and struggle to perform daily tasks. Prosthetic devices are often prescribed to children to assist with tasks of daily living. However, high prosthetic rejection rates are often attributed to a lack of functionality or wearability, which can be addressed through training programs. To better understand rejection rates, changes in muscle activity over training periods with a body-powered prosthesis can inform researchers how to enhance assistive devices and training. The purpose of this project is to collect Electromyography (EMG) data on children with congenital upper-limb reductions to compare muscle coactivation levels before and after an 8-week home training period. Children ages 5 to 19 will be recruited to participate in this study. They will be asked to complete two data collection sessions before and after an 8-week home-based training. During the data collections participants will be asked to perform maximum contractions while wearing EMG sensors. During the 8 weeks of training, they will be learning and practicing various tasks that mimic activities of daily living. We expect to find that the coactivation levels of children with ULRD will decrease over time due to the training because we predict that learning improves the functional performance of prosthetics through gradual increases in degrees of freedom.