Effect of time window on MVC reference for quantifying spastic cocontraction in spastic paresis

These findings demonstrate that reliable EMG normalization in spastic hemiparesis requires a minimal RMS window of approximately 200 ms during MVC and that unsmoothed EMG should be used to preserve signal amplitude. Methodological standardization using these parameters can improve the validity, reproducibility, and comparability of cocontraction indices across studies and may facilitate their application in clinical assessments and rehabilitation research in spastic paresis.