Stroke and robotics Stroke is the leading cause of disability in high-income countries, leading to independence loss in activities of daily living and mobility. Approximately half of them experience gait impairments at the end of standard physiotherapy, with an [...]
Background Cancer is one of the major prevalent diseases in the world and is considered the leading disease of the new millennium. Breast cancer represents the most diagnosed tumour in developed countries. Survival rates are steadily increasing, due to [...]
It is always an honour to collaborate with new researchers! In 2021, a team of researchers at the University of Bologna contacted MerloBioEngineering to discuss EMG data analysis for a new study on the effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields [...]
Dr Merlo coauthored a publication written by Clinicians and Researchers at the Azienda USL-IRCCS of Reggio Emilia (Italy) on the risk of falling in patients with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Narrative review A review article [...]
The importance of paying attention to the electrode placement When applying an electrode for surface electromyography (sEMG), we must pay attention to its correct placement, because signal detection can be influenced by several factors and lead to erroneous conclusions [...]
Cerebral palsy and equinovalgus foot Children with cerebral palsy often develop musculoskeletal deformities, including the equinovalgus foot. The equinovalgus deformity is attributed to muscle shortening, increased tone, overactivity, and co-contraction of plantar flexor muscles, along with weakness or inhibition [...]
The extent of sEMG applicability Surface electromyography provides very rich information about the muscles and the neuromuscular system control strategies. Clinicians can use it for functional diagnosis, the intervention planning phase, and the evaluation of the efficacy of the [...]
Systematic reviews in rehabilitation Systematic reviews are valuable studies capable of synthesizing the available evidence on a given topic and providing unambiguous answers that are useful for everyday clinical practice. In addition, meta-analysis interpretation, often included within reviews, provides [...]
Equinus and physical therapy Equinus foot deviation is the most common deformity following a stroke. It affects patients’ quality of life and ability to walk safely, increasing risk of fall and reducing social participation. Among interventions, physical therapy has [...]
The vicious cycle of overactivity In patients with upper motor neuron lesions, the onset of muscle overactivity is quite common. This follows the vicious cycle described, among others, by Prof JM Gracies The paresis consequent to central injury leads [...]
