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Toward Early and Objective Hand Osteoarthritis Detection by Using EMG during Grasps
Néstor J Jarque-Bou1, Verónica Gracia-Ibáñez1, Alba Roda-Sales1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Construction, Universitat Jaume I, E12071 Castellón, Spain.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|March 11, 2023
Summary
Early detection of hand osteoarthritis (HOA) may be possible using electromyography (EMG) to measure forearm muscle activity. This study suggests EMG can identify subtle muscle changes before joint degeneration, aiding in earlier diagnosis of HOA.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Clinical Diagnostics
- Musculoskeletal Research
Background:
- Hand osteoarthritis (HOA) diagnosis often occurs late, after joint degeneration is visible via imaging.
- Muscle tissue changes may precede joint degeneration in HOA, offering a potential window for early detection.
- Current diagnostic methods for HOA lack sensitivity for early-stage disease detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate electromyography (EMG) characteristics of forearm and hand muscles as potential early indicators of hand osteoarthritis (HOA).
- To determine if EMG signal analysis can provide a feasible, objective method for detecting functional changes in HOA patients.
- To identify specific EMG parameters and muscle groups that can discriminate between healthy individuals and HOA patients.
Main Methods:
- Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to record electrical activity from the dominant forearm muscles of 22 healthy subjects and 20 HOA patients.
- Subjects performed six common Activities of Daily Living (ADL) grasp types, exerting maximum force.
- EMG characteristics (zero crossing, wavelength, mean absolute value) were analyzed to develop discriminant functions for HOA detection.
Main Results:
- Forearm muscles showed significant, detectable differences in EMG signals between healthy individuals and HOA patients.
- Discriminant analyses using EMG characteristics achieved high success rates (93.3%–100%) in identifying HOA.
- Specific muscle groups, including digit flexors, thumb muscles, and wrist extensors, demonstrated strong potential for HOA detection during distinct grasps.
Conclusions:
- EMG analysis of forearm muscles is a promising, sensitive method for the early detection of hand osteoarthritis (HOA).
- EMG can serve as a valuable preliminary tool to complement existing HOA diagnostic techniques.
- Identifying specific muscle activation patterns during functional grasps offers a novel approach to assessing hand function in HOA.
