*4.4.1.1. Acute effects*

There is no evidence that WBV is effective in improving peak torque values for both quadriceps and hamstring muscles (Jackson et al., 2008).

#### *4.4.1.2. Long-term effects*

Under the duration of 5 training sessions per 2-week cycle for 20 weeks, WBV did not improve leg muscle performance or functional capacity in mildly to moderately impaired people with MS (Broekmans et al., 2010). Also 8-week exercise is effective in improving standing balance and timed up-and-go test (Mason et al., 2012). But there are differences in stimulation fre‐ quency and duration between the two reports. That makes it difficult to determine whether WBV is or is not effective in the long run.

#### **4.5. In people with knee osteoarthritis**

#### *4.5.1. Whole Body Vibration (WBV)*

Previous research investigated WBV as an alternative strengthening regimen in the rehabili‐ tation of people with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared with traditional progressive resistance exercise (TPRE). Post-TKA subjects received physical therapy with WBV or with TPRE for 4 weeks. There was a significant increase in knee extensor strength and improvements in mobility both with WBV and with TPRE.

**4.** EMG as basis of biofeedback to patients

**7.** EMG to evaluate motor control

**9.** EMG to evaluate motor learning

**8.** EMG to assess gait

that is revolutionary.

**6. Conclusion**

**5.** EMG to determine matters relative to muscle fatigue **6.** EMG to measure reaction time on external stimuli

**10.** EMG for purposes not classifiable as 1 to 9 above.

through the human senses. We shall introduce some of these studies.

In recent years, the study of human-machine interfaces became fairly popular. For example, equipment is used to amplify muscle activities of a person with disabilities, which will then be relayed to a robot so it can put them into effect for the disabled person. Or EMG is made use of as a vital part of technique to convey information from a robot to a human subject

Evoked EMG Makes Measurement of Muscle Tone Possible by Analysis of the H/M Ratio

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/55783

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In the field of rehabilitation, the type of equipment has been developed that controls move‐ ments of a joint by the muscle discharge in people with disabilities. The equipment sends a command from electrodes attached to the forearm of the robot to its artificially created fingers to control. The number of sensors attached on the disabled person increased gradually, so it became possible to control the intensity of such delicate movements as tapping or lifting. Numerous researches have also been done on motion control by an exoskeleton. The target joints now include forearm, elbow joint, shoulder joint, upper limb, cervix, hip joint, knee joint and lower limb, as well as a wide variety of fingers and hands. In upper limb research, starting from motions of three degrees of freedom (3-DOF), it has now reached the level of 7-DOF motions. Research on reaction time has also shown improvement; in the line of research on hand reactions, delays of only 100 ms have been attained. Research has also been done on robot-assisted therapy on upper limb recovery after stroke, but not much that is revolutionary has come out of it so far. Perhaps we can expect to see this line of research grow in the future. We consider it possible that robot-assisted therapy may eventually help an individual patient become free from environmental and personal factors. Introduction of the so-called ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) model may be something

Verification of inhibitory effects of muscle tone by vibration stimulation as we did above, though it is only the beginning, seems to point to further development in the future. Signifi‐ cance may be found in the fact that healthy people can be checked using simple equipment. In the literature, a certain level of effectiveness of vibration stimulation is found in people with disabilities; determination of the optimum stimulation conditions will certainly be researchers' next point of interest. In studies using other physical means, it seems necessary to set conditions

With an addition of WBV to squat training, elderly people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) were evaluated on functional performance and self-report of disease. A total of 23 elderly subjects participated. There was no statistically significant difference in functional performance and self-report of disease status between groups of squat training with or without WBV.
