Laura Peeters

102 | Chapter 5 Performing daily tasks The number of participants who could accomplish a task and the numbers of participants with missing values in trunk ROM and muscle activity outcomes are shown inTable 3. In general, no differences were seen in trunk ROM between patients with SMA and HC when performing daily tasks (Figure 3). Normalized muscle activity levels for back and abdominal muscles were significantly greater (p<0.01) in patients with SMA compared to HC for all tasks, except reaching laterally far (Figure 4). Unsupported static sitting required already three time as much normalized trunk muscle activity for patients with SMA. When performing the daily tasks, the average back muscle activity was 27% of MVIC for HC and 56% of MVIC  tasks Task accomplished Trunk kinematics Back muscle activity Abdominal muscle activity Maximum active ROM Flexion 13/15 11/15 12/15 13/15 Extension 13/15 11/14 12/15 13/15 Lateral ben- ding 13/15 12/15 12/15 12/11 Axial rotation 13/15 13/15 12/15 11/11 Reaching forward N-0 13/15 13/15 12/15 13/15 N-500 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 F-0 9/15 8/15 8/15 9/15 Reaching lateral N-0 11/15 10/15 10/15 11/15 N-500 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 F-0 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 Reaching contra-lateral N-0 13/15 13/15 12/15 13/15 N-500 7/15 7/15 7/15 7/15 Plate 13/15 13/15 12/15 13/15 Drink 12/15 9/15 11/15 12/15 Table 3 Number of participants (SMA/HC) who accomplished a task and included data for trunk kinematics, back and abdominal muscle activity. Abbreviations: ROM = range of motion, N = near, F = far, 0 = without weight, 500 = 500 gram object