Biofeedback using EMG

Abstract

Within biofeedback, a particular training procedure has been developed wherein the aim is to use EMG for the study of muscular function. Major effort has been put in to evaluate the efficacy and function of EMG biofeedback in muscle reeducation, in this case, the auricular muscle which is involuntary in most cases. In this project, 16 subjects were randomly assigned to target group or control group to receive training two times a week for two or three weeks, depending on their batch of experiments following closely to the training protocol designed prior to the clinical trials. A broad range of experiments were conducted during the trainings to assess the ability and specificity of subjects to maintain voluntary movement of their ears. A large effort of outcome measures were used for visual assessment and analysis of EMG signal of responding subjects who successfully trained their ears. The training result was satisfying with more than half of the participants were being trained to move their ears which suggests the success in training protocol. However, the results showed that there is no significant difference between target group and control group, which means EMG biofeedback as an aid in training is not completely necessary. Hence, the results provide little evidence to support the clinical signifance of using EMG biofeedback in muscle training.