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Table 4 Kinematic characteristics of reaching movements after tetraplegia

From: Upper limb kinematics after cervical spinal cord injury: a review

Parameters

Main results

SCI motor level

References

C5

C6

C7

Movement time (MT)

T

Increased

X

X

X

[3, 2527, 35]

Velocity Peak (PV)

T

Decreased

X

X

X

[3, 24, 26, 27, 34, 35]

  

Variability increased

 

X

 

[35]

Acc & dec peaks

T

Reduced magnitude

 

X

 

[25]

Number of acc peaks

T

Multiple

 

X

 

[25]

Time to Velocity Peak (TPV)

T

Similar to control

X

X

X

[3, 26, 27]

Velocity profile1

T

Bell-shaped

 

X

X

[3, 24, 25, 35]

Velocity coordination

T

Shoulder velocity equal to half of elbow velocity

 

X

 

[36]

Trajectory2

S

Straight and smooth

 

X

X

[25, 35]

  

Variability increased

  

X

[34]

Hand height

S

Not increased

 

X

X

[3, 24, 35]

Joint motion

S

Similar pattern of joint rotation

 

X

X

[24, 25]

 

Increased of scapula movement

 

X

 

[35]

 

Decreased of sup and med max reaching

X

X

X

[26]

 

Decreased of acromion displacement

 

X

X

[34, 35]

Endpoint accuracy

S

Preserved

 

X

X

[3, 24, 25, 27]

Joint coordination3

S

Linear temporal relationship

 

X

X

[24, 35]

EMG activity

N

Activation of agonist without antagonist muscles

 

X

 

[25]

 

Selective activation of shoulder muscles

 

X

 

[25]

 

Prolonged muscle activation

 

X

 

[25]

  1. 1of hand and finger; 2of elbow, hand and finger; 3of shoulder and elbow.
  2. Abbreviations: T Temporal kinematic parameter, S Spatial kinematic parameter, N Non kinematic parameter, acc acceleration, dec deceleration, max maximal, sup superior, med medial.