title: The effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation based on a normal gait pattern on subjects with early stroke: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of four-channel FES based on a normal gait pattern on improving functional ability in subjects early after ischemic stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five subjects were randomly assigned into a four-channel FES group (n=16), a placebo group (n=15), or a dual-channel group (n=14). Stimulation lasted for 30 min in each session with 1 session/day, 5 days a week for 3 weeks. All subjects were assessed at baseline, at 3 weeks of treatment, and at 3 months after the treatment had finished. The assessments included Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 3 groups demonstrated significant improvements in all outcome measurements from pre- to posttreatment and further gains at followup. The score of FMA and MBI improved significantly in the four-channel group at the end of the 3 weeks of training. And the scores of PASS, BBS, MBI, and FAC in the four-channel group were significantly higher than those of the placebo group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicated that four-channel FES can improve motor function, balance, walking ability, and performance of activities of daily living in subjects with early ischemic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China ; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhimei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Huihua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Tiebin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0489-5142
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Xiaokuo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Xiuyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 107 Yanjiang West Road, Guangzhou 510120, China.
authors.forename: Shuwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Henan Provincial Technology Center of Rehabilitation and Assistive Devices, 13 Jinger Road, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chunmei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020521:Stroke / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation