[Efficiency of TENS treatment in hemiplegic shoulder pain: a placebo controlled study].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy on shoulder pain and upper extremity functions in hemiplegic patients.


METHODS
Total of 19 hemiplegic patients with shoulder pain were as consecutive randomly assigned into two groups. TENS was applied in group 1 (n = 10) for 20 minutes and group 2 (n = 9) received placebo stimulation. Conventional rehabilitation program were applied total 15 sessions during a period of 3 week in both groups.The visual analog scale (VAS) to evaluate shoulder pain, Barthel Index (BI) for daily-life activities (DLA) were used. The shoulder passive range of motions (PROMs) and Brunnstrom stage of motor recovery were measured.


RESULTS
Clinical parameters were similar at baseline. In both groups, significant improvements were observed in VAS and BI (group 1: p<0.001; group 2: p<0.05). In VAS (p<0.001), and BI (p<0.05) were showed significant improvements in favor of group 1, when compared with the groups. In PROMs of abduction and external rotation of shoulder significant improvements were observed in only group 1 (p<0.001, p<0.001 respectively). There was not any significant improvement on Brunnstrom stage of motor recovery in both groups (p>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion that TENS therapy together with conventional rehabilitation could be used as a good alternative therapy in patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain.
Ekim
Ayşe
A
Eskişehir Osmangazi University Medical Faculty, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Eskişehir, Turkey. drayseekim@yahoo.com.tr
Armağan
Onur
O
Oner
Cengiz
C
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012399:Rotation; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome