Article

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of surface
electrical stimulation on the spasticity occurring in the wrist flexor muscles
after a cerebrovascular event. METHOD: Hemiplegic patients with stage 2-3
spasticity in the wrist muscles based on the Ashworth scale were divided into two
groups. Both groups were applied stretching. One group was additionally
administered neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to the wrist extensors,
in the form of pulsed current, 100 Hz, with a pulse duration of 0.1 msec, and a
resting duration of 9 seconds, for 15 minutes to provide the maximum muscular
contraction. The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated using the following:
modified Ashworth scale (MAS), Fmax/Mmax ratio, Hmax/Mmax ratio, wrist extension
range of motion (ROM). The daily activities were assessed by Functional
Independence Measurement (FIM) and the motor recovery was evaluated by Brunnstrom
motor staging. RESULTS: Both groups revealed a significant recovery after the
treatment based on the MAS, the electrophysiological evaluation results, wrist
ROM, FIM and Brunnstrom motor staging. The group receiving the combined treatment
showed a better recovery in terms of MAS, wrist ROM, FIM and Brunnstrom motor
staging compared to the group doing the stretching alone. CONCLUSIONS: The
results of this study showed that NMES given together with stretching of the
wrist extensor muscles was more effective than stretching of the wrist extensor
muscles alone in reducing spasticity.

Langue : ANGLAIS