Are paraplegics handicapped in the execution of a manual task?

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Abstract
The aim of the present paper is to examine whether the motor deficiency related to paraplegia could determine a handicap in the execution of a manual task. The test task corresponded to the transport and positioning of a load in the sagittal plane. Sensorimotor behaviour was considered, i.e. the performance, the dynamics of the movement studied with a forceplate, and the muscular patterns studied by surface electromyography. A group of twelve paraplegics (T4 level) was considered in reference to a group of eight able-bodied subjects. The results established dissimilarities between the two groups: performance was lesser in paraplegics, dynamics of the movement and muscular patterns were different. Paraplegics showed a more important activity in the residual muscles of the trunk and the scapular girdle: more of these muscles were activated and their activation was higher and longer. Results were interpreted with regard to postural adjustments related to the execution of a task. Thus, it was shown that due to their sensorimotor deficiency, paraplegics adopted a substitution postural strategy to face the perturbation due to the movement, which was identical to the able-bodied subjects. Increased muscular activity located in certain muscles suggested a higher physiological strain in paraplegics. Ergonomic recommendations to avoid or at least to limit the possible handicapping character of working situations corresponding to manual tasks were suggested.

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