[Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and isotonic exercises in flexor and extensor muscles of knee of hemiplegic patients].
OBJECTIVE
To verify the muscular force and resistance to the movement of the flexor and extensor muscles of the knee of patients with spasticity after treatment with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and isotonic exercises.


METHODS
The patients this study were divided into group 1 (NMES) and group 2 (isotonic exercises). Their muscular torque and resistance to the movement of the flexor and extensor knee muscles were measured by the isokinetic dynamometer and the degree of spasticity by the modified Ashworth scale before and after ten sessions.


RESULTS
Alterations in the scores of the modified Ashworth scale were not observed. An increase in the flexor torque in group 1 (p = 0.041) and in group 2 (p = 0.001) was verified. In the passive mode, group 1 presented a reduction of resistance to the flexion movement (p = 0.026), while in group 2, a reduction of resistance to both the flexion (p = 0,029) and extension movements (p = 0.019) was verified.


CONCLUSIONS
The two therapeutical resources had their efficiency proven only for the increase of the force of the flexor muscles. The resistance to movement, the isotonic exercises were more effective because they promoted a reduction in the resistance of the flexor and extensor knee muscles.
Lima
M O
MO
Universidade do Vale do Paraiba-Instituto de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brasil. mol@univap.br
Pupio S Lima
F
F
Takeshi-T de Freitas
S
S
Regina-Ribeiro
S
S
Tortoza
C
C
Gómes-Lucareli
J
J
Lucareli
P R
PR
Pacheco
M T
MT
Lopes-Martins
R A
RA
D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal