A Study on sEMG-Based Motor Variability and Functional Connectivity of the Upper Limb Depending on Weight Distributions in a Handle of a Cordless Stick-Type Vacuum Cleaner

This study investigated the muscle activities, motor variability, and functional connectivity of the upper limb as a function of weight distributions in a handle of a cordless stick-type vacuum cleaner. Eighteen female college students with experience of vacuum cleaner-use participated in testing. Five handles with different centers of mass (CM) were prepared (centroid, top-rear, top-front, bottom-front, and bottom-rear), and electromyography for the muscles of the upper limb were measured during vacuuming. The results showed that the %MVC values of the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris (p = 0.0038) and Deltoid Middle (p = 0.0094) increased but that of the Biceps Brachii (p = 0.0001) decreased, as the CM moved from the top to bottom area of the handle. The motor variability of the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris (p = 0.0335) and Brachioradialis (p = 0.0394) significantly varied depending on the CM locations but failed to show significance in the post-hoc analyses. Lastly, the functional connectivity values of the muscle pairs such as the Extensor Carpi Ulnaris–Deltoid Middle (p = 0.0016), Extensor Carpi Ulnaris–Upper Trapezius (p = 0.0174), Brachioradialis–Biceps Brachii (p = 0.0356), and Biceps Brachii–Upper Trapezius (p = 0.0102) were significantly altered as a function of the CM locations. The lowest functional connectivity was found with the handle of which CM was at centroid.