THE BARRIERS AND FACILITATORS FOR WIDESPREAD USING SURFACE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN TURKIYE

Year 2025, Volume: 36 Issue: 1, 79 - 91, 25.04.2025

Veysel Alcan , Murat Zinnuroğlu , Abdulvahap Kahveci , Hilmi Uysal Erdem Demir , Hakan Tüzün

https://doi.org/10.21653/tjpr.1382424

Abstract

Purpose: Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a non-invasive tool for understanding the mechanisms of neuromuscular systems, which provides very useful and important quantitative electrophysiological information as part of evidence-based practice. The sEMG has many applications across a wide variety of fields (e.g., in neurophysiology, physiotherapy, biofeedback, gait analysis, ergonomics, occupational medicine, neurorehabilitation, etc.). Although there are a great number of publications, books, tutorials, and advancements in sEMG, there remains a gap characterized by its lack of clinical acceptance. This study aimed to investigate facilitators and barriers to the widespread use of sEMG among clinicians.
Methods: An online survey with 46 items was conducted to potential practitioners of sEMG including medical doctors, physiotherapists, and non-clinical researchers. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulation tests were employed.
Results: This study found that sEMG did not have high clinical acceptance despite a common perception of its clinical potential and benefits. It has been commonly used for research purposes. The major barriers were found as a lack of knowledge and experience about sEMG signals and systems due to the poor educational background of sEMG. When comparing the purpose of using sEMG, there were statistical differences in diagnosis (p=0.002) and research (p=0.004) but no differences in treatment (p=0.103). Significant statistical differences were also found among participants who took an sEMG course and those who did not (p=0.009).
Conclusion: The findings indicate that multidisciplinary bachelor's and master's programs, like a Dutch Model, are needed because advances in sEMG require new professional skills with medical and technical knowledge.

Keywords

surface electromyography, clinical acceptability, medical technology, healthcare professionals, health education

Ethical Statement

We received ethical approval for this online survey from Tarsus University Human Research Ethical Committee with reference no: 2020/44 and date: 26/10/2020.

Thanks

We thank Prof. Robert Merletti for the encouragement of this research on such an important subject and the contributions he made to this research.

YÜZEY ELEKTROYOGRAFİSİNİN KLİNİK UYGULAMADA YAYGIN KULLANIMINA YÖNELİK ENGELLER VE KOLAYLAŞTIRICI FAKTÖRLER: TÜRKİYE'DE KESİTSEL BİR ÇALIŞMA

Abstract

Amaç: Yüzey elektromiyografisi (sEMG), nöromüsküler sistemlerin mekanizmalarını anlamaya yönelik kanıta dayalı uygulamanın bir parçası olarak çok yararlı ve önemli niceliksel elektrofizyolojik bilgiler sağlayan invazif olmayan bir araçtır. sEMG'nin çok çeşitli alanlarda (örneğin nörofizyoloji, fizyoterapi, biyolojik geri bildirim, yürüyüş analizi, ergonomi, mesleki tıp, nörorehabilitasyon vb.) birçok uygulaması vardır. SEMG'de çok sayıda yayın, kitap, eğitim ve ilerleme bulunmasına rağmen klinik kabulündeki eksikliği ile karakterize edilen bir boşluk bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışma, sEMG'nin klinisyenler arasında yaygın olarak kullanılmasının önündeki kolaylaştırıcı ve engelleyici faktörleri araştırmayı amaçlamıştır.
Yöntemler: Tıp doktorları, fizyoterapistler ve klinik dışı araştırmacılar da dâhil olmak üzere potansiyel sEMG uygulayıcılarına 46 maddelik çevrimiçi bir anket uygulandı. Tanımlayıcı istatistikler ve çapraz tablolama testleri kullanıldı.
Sonuçlar: Bu çalışma, sEMG'nin klinik potansiyeli ve faydalarına ilişkin ortak algıya rağmen yüksek klinik kabulüne sahip olmadığını buldu. Yaygın olarak araştırma amacıyla kullanılmıştır. En büyük engellerin, sEMG'nin zayıf eğitim geçmişi nedeniyle sEMG sinyalleri ve sistemleri hakkında bilgi ve deneyim eksikliği olduğu bulundu. sEMG kullanım amacı karşılaştırıldığında, tanı (p=0,002) ve araştırma (p=0,004) açısından istatistiksel farklılıklar vardı ancak tedavide herhangi bir farklılık yoktu (p=0,103). sEMG kursu alan ve almayan katılımcılar arasında da anlamlı istatistiksel farklılıklar bulundu (p=0,009).
Tartışma: Bulgular Hollanda Modeli gibi multidisipliner lisans ve yüksek lisans programlarına ihtiyaç duyulduğunu göstermiştir. Çünkü sEMG'deki ilerlemelerin tıbbi ve teknik bilgi ile birlikte yeni mesleki beceriler gerektirdiğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

yüzey elektromiyografisi, klinik kabul edilebilirlik, tıp teknolojisi, sağlık profesyonelleri, sağlık eğitimi

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