Functional electrical stimulation enhancement of upper extremity functional recovery during stroke rehabilitation: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To test if functional electrical stimulation (FES) can enhance the recovery of upper extremity function during early stroke rehabilitation.


METHODS
Open-label block-randomized trial, begun during inpatient rehabilitation and continued at the patients' home. Patients were assigned to either FES combined with task-specific upper extremity rehabilitation (n = 7) or a control group that received task-specific therapy alone (n = 8) over 12 weeks. Outcome measures . Hand function (Box & Blocks, B & B; Jebsen-Taylor light object lift, J-T) and motor control (modified Fugl-Meyer, mF-M) were video-recorded for both upper extremities at baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks.


RESULTS
B&B mean score at 12 weeks favored (P = .049) the FES group (42.3 +/- 16.6 blocks) over the control group (26.3 +/- 11.0 blocks). The FES group J-T task was 6.7 +/- 2.9 seconds and faster (P = .049) than the 11.8 +/- 5.4 seconds of the control group. Mean mF-M score of the FES group at 12 weeks was 49.3 +/- 5.1 points out of 54, compared to the control group that scored 40.6 +/- 8.2 points (P = .042). All patients regained hand function.


CONCLUSIONS
Upper extremity task-oriented training that begins soon after stroke that incorporates FES may improve upper extremity functional use in patients with mild/moderate paresis more than task-oriented training without FES.
Alon
Gad
G
University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, MD 21201, USA. galon@som.umaryland.edu
Levitt
Alan F
AF
McCarthy
Patricia A
PA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation