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Usefulness of BFB/EMG in facial palsy rehabilitation
Elena Dalla Toffola1, Daniela Bossi, Michelangelo Buonocore
1Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Pavia, Italy. elena.dallatoffola@unipv.it
Objective:
To analyze and to compare the recovery and the development of synkinesis in patients with idiopathic facial palsy (Bell's palsy) following treatment with two methods of rehabilitation, kinesitherapy (KT) and biofeedback/EMG (BFB/EMG).
Study Design:
Retrospective cases--series review.
Methods:
Seventy-four patients with Bell' palsy were clinically evaluated within 1 month from onset of palsy and at 12 months after palsy (House scale and synkinesis evaluation). Electromyography (EMG) and Electroneurography (ENG) were performed about 4 weeks after palsy to better evaluate functional abnormalities due to facial nerve lesion. The patients followed two different protocols for rehabilitation: the first 32 patients were treated with therapeutic exercises performed by therapists (KT group), the latter 42 patients were treated using BFB/EMG methods (BFB group) with inhibition of synkinetic movement as the primary goal.
Results:
KT and BFB patients were evaluated for clinical and neurophysiological characteristics before rehabilitative treatment. BFB patients showed better clinical recovery and minor synkinesis than KT patients.
Conclusions:
BFB/EMG seems to be more useful than KT in Bell's palsy treatment. This could be due to the fact that BFB/EMG gives more accurate information than KT on muscle activation with better modulation in voluntary recruitment of motor unit.
