The changes of EMG characteristic and VAS index for the patients'upper trapezius with neck-shoulder complaints after stretching and isometric-contraction training

Objective: To detect the changes of EMG characteristic and VAS index for the patients'upper trapezius with neck-shoulder complaints after stretching and isometric-contraction training. To identify the the minimum effective dose and the best intervention by detecting and comparing the minimum repeated times and time of three methods alleviating muscle pain and reducing muscle tension. Method: We recruited twenty patients with neck-shoulder complaints, from whom 12 subjects were randomly selected for 3 times. The upper trapezius for each patient was given stretching, isometric contraction and stretching-isometric contraction training, respectively, with 15 days interval. Before and after intervention, EMG examination and VAS test were performed. Result: After the intervention, VAS index decreased significantly (P0.05). As a result, stretching and stretching-isometric contraction were more effective to decrease the resting absolute value and relative value of sEMG in the right side of the upper trapezius muscle compared with isometric contraction (P