EMG Training for Altering Activation Patterns After Stroke

March 18, 2026 updated by: Elliot Roth, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Altering Activation Patterns With EMG Training in the Distal Upper Extremity After Stroke

Evaluation of a new EMG controlled game to improve hand function in chronic stroke survivors.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Increased impairment of the hand is commonly reported as an outcome occurring after a stroke. This impairment is due mainly to the decreased ability to modulate appropriate muscle activation patterns. Issues with appropriately modifying activation patterns can profoundly affect tasks of daily living. This study is evaluating a novel software focusing on retraining hand muscle activation patterns through an Electromyographic (EMG) controlled game. Stroke survivors with chronic, severe hemiparesis of the hand will participate in a longitudinal study consisting of 3 weeks of training. We hypothesize that stroke survivors will experience a decrease in time to complete a test of EMG control, as well as improvement in hand motor control.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60611
        • Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Single, unilateral stroke at least 6 months prior to enrollment
  • Moderate hand impairment defined by Stage 4 or Stage 5 on the Chedoke McMaster Stroke Assessment Scale

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Visual neglect or deficits (with inability to compensate)
  • Upper extremity orthopedic conditions that interfere with movement
  • Cerebellar stroke

Children, prisoners, or adult unable to provide consent will not be recruited. As the procedures pose no increased risk for pregnant women, we will not specifically exclude them.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Bilateral
Participants will control game using EMG from both upper limbs.
Other: Bilateral
Participants will control game using EMG from both upper limbs.
Active Comparator: Unilateral
Participants will control game using the more impaired upper limb.
Other: Unilateral
Participants will control game using EMG from the more impaired upper limb.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Mean Completion Time for Timed Test
Time Frame: Baseline and 3 weeks (immediately post intervention)
Time to complete movement to 16 randomized targets
Baseline and 3 weeks (immediately post intervention)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Collaborators

Medical University of South Carolina
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Marquette University
North Carolina State University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Elliot Roth, MD, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

June 28, 2018

Primary Completion (Actual)

October 31, 2020

Study Completion (Actual)

July 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 3, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 3, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

August 8, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 18, 2026

Last Verified

October 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STU00206747
  • R01HD075813 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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