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Updated: Feb 19, 2026
Evaluation of Respiratory Muscle Activation Using Respiratory Motor Control Assessment RMCA in Individuals with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: July 19, 2013
Respiratory functional and motor control deficits in children with spinal cord injury
Goutam Singh1, Andrea L Behrman2, Sevda C Aslan3
1Department of Physiology, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
Insights
Children with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience reduced lung function and abnormal breathing muscle activation. These respiratory deficits are age-dependent, impacting their overall health and development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Children with spinal cord injury (SCI) face significant risks of respiratory complications due to impaired motor control.
- The specific mechanisms linking SCI, age, and respiratory dysfunction in children remain poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of SCI and age on respiratory motor control and pulmonary function in children.
- To compare respiratory outcomes in typically developing (TD) children versus age-matched children with chronic SCI.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated pulmonary function (Forced Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1sec) and respiratory muscle activation via electromyography.
- Assessed maximal inspiratory and expiratory airway pressures (PImax and PEmax) in 14 TD children and 12 children with SCI.
Main Results:
- Children with SCI showed significantly reduced FVC, FEV1, and PEmax compared to TD controls.
- SCI patients exhibited decreased activation of abdominal muscles and increased compensatory activation of upper trapezius muscles.
- In TD children, age, height, and weight correlated with lung function; in SCI children, only age showed a significant correlation.
Conclusions:
- SCI significantly impairs respiratory function and motor control in children.
- Respiratory deficits in children with SCI are age-dependent, highlighting the need for age-specific interventions.
- Abnormal respiratory muscle activation patterns contribute to functional limitations in pediatric SCI.
Abstract:
Children with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at high risk for developing complications due to respiratory motor control deficits. However, underlying mechanisms of these abnormalities with respect to age, development, and injury characteristics are unclear. To evaluate the effect of SCI and age on respiratory motor control in children with SCI, we compared pulmonary function and respiratory motor control outcome measures in healthy typically developing (TD) children to age-matched children with chronic SCI. We hypothesized that the deficits in respiratory functional performance in children with SCI are due to the abnormal and age-dependent respiratory muscle activation patterns. Fourteen TD (age 7±2 yrs., Mean±SD) and twelve children with SCI (age 6±1 yrs.) were evaluated by assessing Forced Vital Capacity (FVC); Forced Expiratory Volume in 1sec (FEV1); and respiratory electromyographic activity during maximum inspiratory and maximum expiratory airway pressure measurements (PImax and PEmax). The results indicate a significant reduction (p<.01) of FVC, FEV1 and PEmax values in children with SCI compared to TD controls. During PEmax assessment, children with SCI produced significantly decreased (p<.01) activation of respiratory muscles below the neurological level of injury (rectus abdominous and external oblique muscles). In addition, children with SCI had significantly increased (p<.05) compensatory muscle activation above the level of injury (upper trapezius muscle). In the TD group, age, height, and weight significantly (p<.05) contributed towards increase in FVC and FEV1. In children with SCI, only age was significantly (p<.05) correlated with FVC and FEV1 values. These findings indicate the degree of SCI-induced respiratory functional and motor control deficits in children are age-dependent.
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