Effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation combined with locomotion-like movement in the treatment of post-stroke gait disorder: a single-case study. Short report.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to examine the effects of electrical stimulation combined with locomotion-like movement (ES/LM) for improving gait disorder in a stroke patient.


METHODS
A four-phase ABAB single-subject design with five therapy sessions per phase was employed. In the intervention phases, transcutaneous electrical stimulation was applied to the tibialis anterior (at the end of the hip extension phase and in the initial hip flexion phase) and the soleus (in the initial hip extension phase) during passive hip flexion and extension. To assess improvement, the soleus H-reflex and the ambulatory function were measured (gait velocity and step length).


RESULTS
Application of ES/LM resulted in a decrease of the soleus H-reflex and significant increase of gait velocity and step length.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that ES/LM is a feasible treatment method for impaired ambulatory function in stroke patients at the subacute stage after the event.
Tanabe
Shigeo
S
Keio University Tsukigase Rehabilitation Center, Shizuoka, Japan. tanabe@2005.jukuin.keio.ac.jp
Yamaguchi
Tomofumi
T
Watanabe
Tomoko
T
Muraoka
Yoshihiro
Y
Masakado
Yoshihisa
Y
D000368:Aged; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation