Effects of Smart Gait Exercise Using an EMG Suit on Isokinetic Muscle Function and Muscle Activation in Middle-Aged Women with Sarcopenia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week electromyography (EMG) suit exercise program on isokinetic muscle function and muscle activity in middle-aged women with sarcopenia, and to propose an effective exercise intervention for improving sarcopenia-related musculoskeletal dysfunction. A total of 27 middle-aged women with sarcopenia were recruited from four public health centers in S region and randomly assigned to a non-exercise control group (CON, n = 9), a non-wear exercise group (EX, n = 9), or an EMG suit exercise group (EMG, n = 9). All exercise interventions were conducted for 12 weeks as part of a sarcopenia prevention program. Isokinetic muscle function was assessed by peak torque at 60°/sec, peak power at 180°/sec, and total work at 240°/sec for both knee flexor and extensor muscles. Muscle activity parameters, including muscle tone and stiffness, were also evaluated before and after the intervention. After the 12-week intervention, the EMG suit exercise group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in peak torque, peak power, and total work of both knee flexor and extensor muscles compared with the non-wear exercise and control groups. In addition, muscle tone and stiffness were significantly decreased in the EMG suit exercise group following the intervention, whereas no significant improvements were observed in the other groups. These findings suggest that a 12-week EMG suit exercise program effectively enhances isokinetic muscle function and improves muscle activity characteristics in middle-aged women with sarcopenia. Therefore, EMG suit exercise may serve as a promising and efficient exercise intervention for the prevention and management of sarcopenia-related musculoskeletal dysfunction.