Abstract
Introduction: Poststroke oropharyngeal dysphagia increases pneumonia risk and lowers life quality. Speech therapy uses unfamiliar tasks to change habits. The repeatability of tests limits the use of precise feedback for motor learning. Neuromuscular biofeedback from surface electromyography (sEMG) benefits muscle function. In dysphagia therapy, biofeedback improves control, engagement, and brain activation. Biofeedback's efficacy in dysphagia is unclear, however, swallow (ES) exercises are advised.
Aims and Objectives: This study examines the feasibility of using surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback to assess stroke-related dysphagia and guide exercise-based treatment.
Method: From September 2022 to August 2023, a Chinese hospital observed healthy volunteers using the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) to determine dysphagia severity. Participants were randomly assigned to biofeedback or non-biofeedback activities during the Effortful Swallow exercise in two sessions to verify its repeatability and applicability. Regular and effortful swallowing was examined using neck electrode sEMG data and questionnaire feedback.
Result: Table 1 shows demographics for 30 stroke patients and 40 healthy controls. Age variability is shown by stroke patients' median age of 74.5 years and controls' 75.00. Both categories have more men. Healthy and stroke participants have different sEMG biofeedback questionnaire preferences, as shown in Table 2. Figure 1 shows age-related sEMG amplitude changes during effortful swallowing. Figure 2 shows how feedback helps both groups swallow. Figure 3 illustrates that electromyographic biofeedback increases swallowing activity in healthy people, suggesting therapeutic potential that needs additional study.
Conclusion: In conclusion, sEMG biofeedback may improve muscle engagement and patient motivation in stroke dysphagia treatment, warranting future investigations.