Repurposing an EMG Biofeedback Device for Gait Rehabilitation: Development, Validity and Reliability

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Biomedical Instrumentation
• Movement Science

Background:

• Gait impairment significantly restricts physical activity and reduces quality of life.
• Electromyography Biofeedback (EMG-BFB) is effective for gait improvement but limited by lab-based systems.
• A need exists for accessible, cost-effective EMG-BFB for widespread gait rehabilitation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a portable, affordable EMG-BFB device for home and community-based gait training.
• To adapt the mTrigger® device for gait applications, including app-based feedback and data integration.
• To assess the validity and reliability of the adapted device against a laboratory-grade system.

Main Methods:

• Repurposed the mTrigger® portable EMG-BFB device for gait analysis.
• Developed a smartphone application with features for step feedback, success rate, and muscle calibration.
• Compared the mTrigger® device with a laboratory-grade EMG system in 32 healthy adults walking at various speeds.

Main Results:

• The mTrigger® device demonstrated good to excellent test-retest reliability (r > 0.89) for treadmill walking.
• High agreement (ICC > 0.85) was found between the mTrigger® and laboratory system in step detection across all tested speeds.
• The device effectively assessed muscular activity and provided biofeedback comparable to a lab system.

Conclusions:

• The repurposed mTrigger® device is a valid and reliable tool for gait biofeedback.
• This cost-effective solution has the potential to significantly increase access to gait rehabilitation.
• Further research can explore its application in diverse populations with gait impairments.