An investigation of muscle activation during swallowing using a low-cost semg device

The purpose of this project was to investigate the viability of an inexpensive and user-friendly portable surface electromyography (sEMG) sensor setup attached to the neck to detect different swallowing manoeuvres used in the treatment of dysphagia and swallowing musculature training. A significant difference between the Mendelsohn and Effortful Swallow manoeuvres was found. The Mendelsohn manoeuvre produced a stronger signal response than the Effortful Swallow manoeuvre. Significant to Mendelsohn manoeuvre was a characteristic initial spike followed by a plateau of the biopotential before the actual swallow, as would be expected when the volume was held in the mouth and throat muscles contracted before swallowing the bolus. An inexpensive and portable sEMG sensor was successfully used to detect and graph differences in biopotential which could distinguish between different swallowing techniques. With further refinement, this sensor setup could provide an accessible, user-friendly training aid for patients recovering from dysphagia.