Electromyographic biofeedback for muscle re-education has gradually come to be accepted as a useful treatment modality in the rehabilitaiton of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. However, the mechanism and effectiveness of EMG biofeedback therapy are not well understood. To evaluate the role and relative efficacy of EMG biofeedback, 26 adult hemiplegic patients were randomly divided into two groups of 13 patients each; the first group treated with conventional physical therapy alone (control group) and the second group treated with conventional physical therapy plus biofeedback training (biofeedback group). They were evaluated by the active range of motion of hemiplegic shoulder and ankle joints and biofeedback EMG activity of anterior fiber of deltoid muscle and anterior tibialis for 16 weeks. The results were as follows. (1) In biofeedback group, active range of motion was significantly increased in upper extremity (39.23 +/- 31.06 degree; p < 0.01), but no significant difference in lower extremity, compared with the control group. (2) Also, biofeedback EMG activity was significantly increased in upper and lower extremities (80.0 +/- 90.38 uV, 43 +/- 24.32 uV respectively), compared with the control group (p < 0.01). (3) The correlation between the stroke duration and active range of motion and biofeedback activity of upper and lower extremities were negative correlationship (p < 0.01). Through this experiment it is indicated that the range of motion of joints and biofeedback EMG activity showed significant improvement in EMG biofeedback group regardless of stroke duration. It is also that EMG feedback is a superior treatment modality in the rehabilitation of hemiplegic patients.

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