Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 5, 2026
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
Short-time effect of the kangaroo position on electromyographic activity of premature infants: a randomized clinical
Kaísa Trovão Diniz1, José Eulálio Cabral Filho1, Rafael Moura Miranda1
1Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira (IMIP), Programa de Pós-Graduação, Recife, PE, Brazil.
Insights
Kangaroo position (KP) in preterm infants significantly boosts short-term muscle activity in the biceps brachii and hamstrings. This finding highlights KP
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Physiology
- Clinical research
Background:
- Preterm infants often experience physiological instability.
- The kangaroo position (KP) involves skin-to-skin contact between infant and caregiver.
- KP is recognized for its benefits in neonatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the immediate effects of KP on muscle electromyography (EMG) activity in preterm infants.
- To investigate short-term changes in biceps brachii and hamstring muscle activity during KP.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 44 preterm infants in Brazil.
- Infants were assigned to either the intervention (KP) or control group.
- Surface electromyography measured muscle activity before and after KP exposure.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed significant variations in EMG activity for biceps brachii and hamstrings post-KP.
- The control group exhibited no significant changes in muscle activity over the same time points.
- KP demonstrated a positive short-term influence on muscle activation.
Conclusions:
- Kangaroo position (KP) enhances short-term electromyographic activity in preterm infants.
- This suggests KP may play a role in promoting neuromuscular development in neonates.
- Further research can explore long-term effects and optimal KP protocols.
Objective:
To verify the short-term influence of the kangaroo position (KP) on the electromyography activity of preterm newborns.
Method:
A clinical study was conducted in a kangaroo unit sector (secondary and tertiary care) in the city of Recife, Brazil, with 44 preterm infants randomized to intervention (n=21) and control (n=23) groups. The KP was performed through a band that supports the newborn against the adult's thorax, in a prone and vertical position, and infants were dressed with few pieces of clothes, thus keeping skin-to-skin contact with the mother. Surface electromyography was used to investigate the muscle activity of the biceps brachii and hamstrings. The randomization of the groups was performed by the program R® (v. 3.3.1). The electromyography registrations were made at three different times: before the KP and after one and two hours of KP. In the control group, the registrations were performed at the times corresponding to those of the intervention group. The mean values of the electromyography activity among the times were analyzed by ANOVA for repeated measures and the Kruskal-Wallis test. The clinical trial was recorded in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02849665 - 07/28/2016).
Results:
In the intervention group (n=21), there was a variation of the electromyography activity values between the three recording moments for both the biceps brachii and hamstrings. In the control group (n=23), there was no statistical difference between the recording moments for both.
Conclusions:
The KP increases the short-term electromyographic activity of the biceps brachii and hamstrings.
