title: [Effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation in stroke patients: a systematic review].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional electrical stimulation is one of the physiotherapy techniques used today for the management of patients who have suffered a stroke.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effectiveness of the functional electrical stimulation in general skills, gait, general capacities and quality of stroke patients through a systematic review. Also has secondary objective was raised to know the best method of application of this technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a literature search in Medline, PEDro and Cochrane Library. Clinical trials and systematic reviews about the effectiveness of the functional electrical stimulation in stroke patients from last five years were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten clinical trials and one systematic review were included and we analyzed and compared the most relevant data extracted of them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Functional electrical stimulation shows an improvement in the quality of life, motor abilities and gait in stroke patients. It is more effective associated with other physiotherapy techniques. Functional electrical stimulation alone does not provide better results than other physiotherapy techniques. The implementation of the technique in more than one muscle group, triggering impulses by active movements and associating with other interventions, is the best approach to application of functional electrical stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Centro Geriatrico, Soria, Espana.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romera-De Francisco
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Valladolid, Soria, Espana.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Del Barrio
mesh_terms: D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*