title: Effects of Weight-shifting Exercise Combined with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on Muscle Activity and Trunk Control in Patients with Stroke.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of weight-shifting exercise (WSE) combined with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), applied to the erector spinae and external oblique (EO) muscles, on muscle activity and trunk control in patients with hemiparetic stroke. Sixty patients with stroke were recruited to this study and randomly distributed into three treatment groups: (1) WSE + TENS, (2) WSE + placebo TENS, and (3) control. All participants underwent 30 sessions of training (30 minutes five times per week for 6 weeks) and received 1 hour of conventional physical therapy five times per week for 6 weeks. Muscle activity, maximum reaching distance and trunk impairment scale scores were assessed in all patients before and after the training. After training, the WSE + TENS group showed significant increase in the EO activity, maximum reaching distance and trunk impairment scale scores compared with the WSE + placebo TENS and control groups. These findings suggest that WSE with TENS applied to the erector spinae and EO muscles increased the trunk muscle activity and improved trunk control. Therefore, WSE with TENS could be a beneficial intervention in clinical settings for individuals with hemiparetic stroke. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Sim
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Semyung University, Jecheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Gimcheon University, Gimcheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae-Sung
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: In
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwi-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000071596:Abdominal Oblique Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D064170:Paraspinal Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D004856:Postural Balance; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D016474:Weight-Bearing
keywords: stroke; transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; trunk