ABSTRACT
Despite an extensive armamentarium of electrophysiological tools available practitioners in the field of pain management, many limitations exist. Without doubt, it is extremely difficult to evaluate patients suffering from pain using traditional electrophysiological technology. While surface electromyography is not a new technique, recent developments have shown it to be a valuable diagnostic tool and one that allows for the development of precise neuromuscular treatment protocols. The purpose of this chapter is to briefly review the limitations of traditional electrodiagnostic tools in pain management, while providing an overview of the role which surface electromyography (sEMG) can play in the assessment and treatment for muscle impairment syndromes. Specifically, seven muscle impairment syndromes will be reviewed, along with 15 sEMG retraining strategies that attempt to address neuromuscular contributions to chronic pain.
