Minimum Electromyography Sensor Set Needed to Identify Age-Related Impairments in the Neuromuscular Control of Walking Using the Dynamic Motor Control Index

The dynamic motor control index is an emerging biomarker of age-related neuromuscular impairment. To date, it has been computed by quantifying the co-activity of eleven lower limb muscles. Because clinics that routinely employ electromyography typically collect from fewer muscles, a reduced muscle sensor set may improve the clinical usability of this metric of motor control. This study aimed to test if commonly used eight- and five-muscle electromyography (EMG) sensor sets produce similar dynamic motor control indices as the previously examined eleven-muscle sensor set and similarly differentiate across age subgroups. EMG data were collected during treadmill walking from 36 adults separated into young (N = 18, <35 yrs.), young-old (N = 13, 65-74 yrs.), and old-old (N = 5, ≥75 yrs.) subgroups. Dynamic motor control indices generated using the sensor set with eleven muscles correlated with the eight-muscle set (R² = 0.70) but not the five-muscle set (R² = 0.30). Regression models using the eleven-muscle (χ²(4) = 10.62, <i>p</i> = 0.031, Nagelkerke R² = 0.297) and eight-muscle (χ²(4) = 9.418, <i>p</i> = 0.051, Nagelkerke R² = 0.267) sets were significant and approaching significance, respectively, whereas the model for the five-muscle set was not significant (<i>p</i> = 0.663, Nagelkerke R² = 0.073). In both the eleven-muscle (Wald χ² = 5.16, <i>p</i> = 0.023, OR = 1.26) and eight-muscle models (Wald χ² = 4.20, <i>p</i> = 0.04, OR = 1.19), a higher index significantly predicted being in the young group compared to the old-old group. Age-related differences in the neuromuscular control of walking can be detected using dynamic motor control indices generated using eleven- and eight-muscle sensor sets, increasing clinical usability of the dynamic motor control index.