Comparing stimulation-induced pain during percutaneous (intramuscular) and transcutaneous neuromuscular electric stimulation for treating shoulder subluxation in hemiplegia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether percutaneous (intramuscular) neuromuscular electric stimulation (perc-NMES) is less painful than transcutaneous neuromuscular electric stimulation (trans-NMES) for treating shoulder subluxation in hemiplegia.


METHODS
Double-blind, crossover trial.


METHODS
University-affiliated tertiary care hospital.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 10 hemiplegic subjects with at least 1 fingerbreadth of glenohumeral subluxation.


METHODS
All subjects received 3 randomly ordered pairs of perc-NMES and trans-NMES to the supraspinatus and posterior deltoid muscles of the subluxated shoulder. Both types of stimulation were optimized to provide full joint reduction with minimal discomfort.


METHODS
Pain was assessed after each stimulation with a 10-cm visual analog scale (VAS) and the McGill Pain Questionnaire, using the Pain Rating Index (PRI) scoring method. Subjects were asked which type of stimulation they would prefer for 6 weeks of treatment. Wilcoxon's signed-rank test was used to compare median differences in VAS and PRI between perc-NMES and trans-NMES.


RESULTS
Median VAS scores for perc-NMES and trans-NMES were 1 and 5.7, respectively (p = .007). Median PRI scores for perc-NMES and trans-NMES were 7 and 19.5, respectively (p = .018). Nine of the 10 subjects preferred perc-NMES to trans-NMES for treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Data suggest that perc-NMES is less painful than trans-NMES in the treatment of shoulder subluxation in hemiplegia.
Yu
D T
DT
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA.
Chae
J
J
Walker
M E
ME
Hart
R L
RL
Petroski
G F
GF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D012783:Shoulder Dislocation / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods