Article

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of treadmill training
(TT) with functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the gluteus medius
(GM) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles on gait and balance performance in
individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Thirty-six participants with chronic
hemiparesis were recruited to this study and randomly distributed into three
groups: TT with FES applied to the GM and TA muscles
(TTFES-GM+TA group, 12
patients); TT with FES applied to the TA muscle (TTFES-TA group, 12 patients);
and TT only (control group, 12 patients). All participants underwent 20 sessions
of TT with a harness (30min five times per week for 4 weeks). They also received
regular physical therapy for 1h five times per week for 4 weeks. All participants
were assessed before and after training using digital muscle testing, the Medical
Research Council (MRC) scale, the 6-min walk test (6MWT), and spatiotemporal
parameters. After training, the TTFES-GM+TA group showed significant improvement
in hip abductor strength, Berg Balance Scale score, 6MWT result, MRC scale score
grade, gait velocity, and cadence compared to the TTFES-TA group and control
group. These findings show that TT with FES applied to the GM and TA muscles
increased lower limb muscle strength and improved balance and gait capacities.
Therefore, TT with FES applied to the GM and TA could be a beneficial
intervention in clinical settings for individuals with chronic hemiparetic
stroke.
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Langue : ANGLAIS