| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立成功大學 === 醫學工程研究所 === 87 === Based on biomechanical, neurodevelopmental and ergonomic principles, the specialized seating and positioning system has been designed to improve normal muscle tone and movement performance with upright seating posture by balanced gravitational force and moment to minimize the effect of impaired process of neuromuscular system. The research studies show that the lack of consistent results of therapeutic effect is due to difficulties in human factor control, higher variability, and small sampling sizes. This research was aimed to systematically and quantitatively investigate the therapeutic effect of specialized seating and positioning system for the provision of fundamental information in system design and manufacturing as well as clinical prescription. This study used a Single-Case Research Design and repeated EMG measurement/reaching tests to evaluate the clinical efficacy and assess the user''s improvement by specialized seating and positioning system and rehabilitative treatment. Six subjects with moderate to severe cerebral palsy were recruited. Quantitative parameters have included Average Integrated EMG (AI) of electromyography and velocity of reaching target. The results of EMG measurement on A subject indicate that: (1) using nonparametric Fridmen test, the AI of EMG are significant with time (p<.05) and among the 5 muscles (p<.05) during "B Phase" and (2) with the seating and positioning design, the A subject has improved poor seating posture from abnormal muscle reaction in general W/C. The results of function test on B subject show that: (1) using nonparametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, a significant increase of reaching velocity in "B+C" treatment compared to "B" treatment ( P < .05) during 5 months; and (2) the B subject is clinically proved to have better upper extremity functions in specialized W/C. specialized seating could effectively improve pathologic neuromuscular control. The findings from Single-Case Research Design, EMG measurement/reaching test and clinical examinations have proved that specialized seating could effectively improve abnormal muscle tone, upright sitting, and functional performance.
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