title: Effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on H-reflex and spinal spasticity.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the short-term effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS; 99 Hz; 250 ms pulses) on H-reflex and spinal spasticity. Considering the reflex hyperexcitability commonly displayed in spinal cord-injured subjects, it was hypothesized that repetitive low threshold afferent stimulation would have an inhibitory effect on the triceps surae H-reflexes which could also be reflected by a decrease in plantarflexor spasticity. Clonus, Achilles tendon reflex and modified Ashworth evaluations were performed on 14 spinal cord-injured subjects prior to and after 30 minutes' application of TENS. Non-parametric statistical analyses (n = 14; alpha = 0.05) failed to reveal significant effects of TENS on H-reflex amplitude. However, there was a significant decrease in scores for the Achilles tendon reflex and the modified Ashworth test. The clonus score decreased in most subjects post-TENS, although not in a statistically significant manner. The present pilot results thus suggest that TENS appears to be effective in reducing spinal spasticity, as measured clinically.
authors.affiliation: Physiotherapy Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goulet
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Arsenault
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourbonnais
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Laramée
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lepage
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000628:therapy; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation