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An Internet of Medical Things Device for Monitoring of Musculoskeletal Disorders using Electromyograms
1 , * 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6
1  Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D, Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
2  Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr.Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India
3  Department of Information Technology, KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore, India
4  Symbiosis Institute of Computer Studies and Research (SICSR), Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India
5  Department of Instrumentation Engineering, MIT Campus, Anna University, India, Chennai.
6  Academics and Research, Gleneagles Global Health City, India, Chennai.
Academic Editor: Stefano Mariani

https://doi.org/10.3390/ecsa-11-20351 (registering DOI)
Abstract:

Electromyography (EMG) is a technique that measures the electrical activity of the muscles and it has been used extensively in the field of physiotherapy to assess the muscle function and activity. Grading muscle power is an important aspect of assessing muscle function, as it provides information about the strength and endurance of muscles. Presently, the physiotherapist uses Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) for grading muscle power however it requires the therapist with good expertise. In this work, an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) based Smart EMG device is designed and developed for monitoring the patients suffering from abnormal musculoskeletal health conditions. Further, the EMG signals are acquired from normal individuals and the patients with abnormal health conditions. Also, the muscle power grading is used to grade the EMG signals and the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based deep learning algorithm is utilised to visualize the progress of course of treatment provided to the patients with musculoskeletal problems such as stroke, spinal cord injuries etc. The entire analysis is carried out Google Co-Laboratory based IoT cloud platform and the algorithms are coded using Python programming language. Results demonstrate that the proposed smart IoMT based smart device can predict the different muscle power with an average accuracy of 97.5 % which proves the effectiveness of the device. This work appears to be of high clinical relevance since the proposed device is capable of providing valuable information about muscle function and enable the physiotherapists to design personalised treatment plans for patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Keywords: Bio-signals; Electromyography; Internet of Things; Muscle power grading; Physiotherapy; Remote healthcare monitoring
Comments on this paper
Erick Reyes Vera
This paper presents an innovative approach to muscle power grading using an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) device integrated with smart EMG analysis. The use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to grade muscle power and monitor treatment progress is particularly impactful, offering an objective and data-driven alternative to traditional MMT, which often depends on therapist expertise. This work is clinically relevant, as it enables personalized treatment plans for patients with musculoskeletal disorders such as strokes and spinal cord injuries, bridging the gap between advanced computational tools and real-world therapeutic needs.

AANJANKUMAR S
This is a highly innovative research to address a significant healthcare need. The integration of IoT and electromyography has the potential to revolutionize the early detection and management of musculoskeletal disorders.

Akshya J
This paper introduces an innovative and clinically relevant approach to improving muscle function assessment with the help of an IoMT-based smart EMG device. The work on CNN-based deep learning for muscle power grading along with treatment visualization is remarkable and meets a predictability accuracy average of 97.5%, thus proving its effectiveness. The use of Google Co-Laboratory and Python assures scalability and accessibility, thus making this a workable solution toward physiotherapy applications. This can transform musculoskeletal disorder management to a large extent, as physiotherapists can design treatment plans that are individually tailored and data driven with high accuracy.



 
 
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