From muscle sprains to broken bones, neurological traumas to post-surgical care, there are many reasons kids need physical therapy. What’s more, the experience can be overwhelming and intimidating for children, especially after an injury. For kids who physical therapy is a part of life, it can be a boring chore that fails to inspire.
Engaging kids in the experience while empowering them to participate both improves their feelings about physical therapy. This can be the difference between “buying in” and just biding time. Above all, any tool that can help children engage more in their therapy process increases the efficacy of their treatment.
The Resility sEMG is muscle activity monitor that pairs with an Android or iOS application. It measures and visually displays muscle tension. It is a useful tool for physical therapists because it provides immediate feedback on what a particular muscle is doing at any given time. Therapists can easily share this information with their patient in a clear and easy to understand visual display.
Using EMG in Pediatric Physical Therapy
Using sEMG in pediatric physical therapy has much potential because it illustrates the intensity of muscle tension through graphs and dials in a way a child can easily understand. You simply attach the device with single-use electrodes and place it directly on the muscle being monitored. The device is not invasive or painful. Thus, the therapist and patient can work together in real time and observe the muscle tense and release on the visual display. This means that the child can really “see” what their muscle is doing. An effective therapist can make the monitor feedback part of a game – encouraging the child to use their muscle control to wind the dial-up and down. Finally, threshold alarms can provide an incentive to control muscle tension.
Children, like adults, feel stress when situations seem beyond their control. sEMG gives them an opportunity to:
- See what they are accomplishing in physical therapy
- To monitor their improvement
- To get immediate feedback on their efforts is empowering.
Therefore, using sEMG is one tool to improve the experience for pediatric physical therapy patients.
About the Author
Elisa LeBlanc is an Insurance Professional and writer. Her experiences with physical therapy are personal, as her son has been engaging in physical therapy for over a decade for a neurological condition.
Note: All content found on the Resility Health Website, including text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Leave a Reply