Muscle activation improvement during treadmill training at ischemia rat

This study is aimed to investigate the muscle activity changes, including fatigue effects and the symmetry of muscle activation between affected and unaffected sides during a 10-day body weight support treadmill training program using a focal ischemia rat hindlimb model. Our findings of the MPF drop after stroke might indicate fatigue effects due to the compensation loading share of the ipsilateral side muscle during locomotion and the increase of the symmetry index reflects abnormal coactivation synergies after the onset of stroke. The EMG parameters could provide information on the muscle activation pattern and fatigue. The recovery rate after stroke could be investigated with EMG parameters together with the behavioral score, and both were improved during and after the treadmill training.