Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been used to treat patients with central nervous system dysfunctions and intact peripheral innervation. This study investigated the efficacy of FES for patients with stroke-related hemiplegia and spasticity.
Subjects were 30 patients with at least a three-month history of stroke and spasticity, assessed with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Those randomized to the treatment group underwent FES, applied to the motor points of the extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris and extensor digitorum communis. The FES was applied 30 minutes per day for five days per week for total of 20 sessions. Both the study group and the conventional treatment group underwent range of motion exercises, stretching and wrist-hand static splint use. Assessments of wrist tone were made with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Motor function was assessed by the Rivermead Motor Assessment (RMA), Brunnstrom (BS) hand neurophysiological staging, with functional status evaluated with the Barthel Index (BI) and Upper Extremity Function Test (UEFT).
The patients in the FES group experienced significantly greater improvement in BI scores (P<0.05) passive range of motion (P<0.05), active range of motion (P<0.05), and RMA scores (P<0.05) as compared with the control group.
This study of patients with chronic stroke found that functional electrical stimulation can be an effective method to reduce spasticity and improve range of motion in patients with wrist and finger flexor spasticity.
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Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been used to treat patients with central nervous system dysfunctions and intact peripheral innervation. This study investigated the efficacy of FES for patients with stroke-related hemiplegia and spasticity.
Subjects were 30 patients with at least a three-month history of stroke and spasticity, assessed with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Those randomized to the treatment group underwent FES, applied to the motor points of the extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor carpi ulnaris and extensor digitorum communis. The FES was applied 30 minutes per day for five days per week for total of 20 sessions. Both the study group and the conventional treatment group underwent range of motion exercises, stretching and wrist-hand static splint use. Assessments of wrist tone were made with the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). Motor function was assessed by the Rivermead Motor Assessment (RMA), Brunnstrom (BS) hand neurophysiological staging, with functional status evaluated with the Barthel Index (BI) and Upper Extremity Function Test (UEFT).
The patients in the FES group experienced significantly greater improvement in BI scores (P<0.05) passive range of motion (P<0.05), active range of motion (P<0.05), and RMA scores (P<0.05) as compared with the control group.
This study of patients with chronic stroke found that functional electrical stimulation can be an effective method to reduce spasticity and improve range of motion in patients with wrist and finger flexor spasticity.
