Key factors influencing children’s cooperation during electromyography: a correlation analysis of Age, gender, and pain management

Objective: To investigate the influence of age, gender, and pain level on cooperation during electromyography (EMG) examinations in children, and to provide insights that may inform the optimization of pain management and operational strategies for pediatric EMG. Methods: A total of 44 children who underwent EMG examination at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from November 2024 to November 2025 were enrolled. Data on age, gender, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain score, and physician-assessed cooperation level were collected. Spearman correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to evaluate the relationship between these factors and the cooperation level. Results: < 0.001). Conclusion: Age and pain level are key determinants of cooperation during EMG examinations in children. Our findings suggest that pain management strategies could benefit from incorporating individualized analgesia protocols, psychological interventions, and future optimization of electrode technology to enhance examination compliance and diagnostic quality in pediatric patients.