Article

The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of the use of the
neuromuscular electrical stimulation after total knee arthroplasty. DESIGN: The
study used a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (MEDLINE, PubMed,
Cochrane Library, and PEDro) using Patient Population
or Problem, Intervention,
Comparison, Outcomes, Setting approach to formulate the research question,
controlled terms, and Boolean operators. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were
defined in advance. "Neuromuscular electrical stimulation" and "total knee
arthroplasty" were used as keywords. The overall risk of bias was determined
according to the following: random sequence generation, concealment, blinding
mass of participants and staff, commissioning blind assessment results,
incomplete data, and loans received. RESULTS: Of the 36 identified studies, six
were included in the review (496 participants). In these studies, one group of
patients followed a rehabilitation protocol (control group) and the other
followed a rehabilitation program plus a session of neuromuscular electrical
stimulation (neuromuscular electrical stimulation group). Patients of
neuromuscular electrical stimulation groups got the best scores (timed up and go
test, stair climbing test, and walk test). Neuromuscular electrical stimulation
benefits were strong in the first postoperative weeks/months and gradually diminished. CONCLUSIONS: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation allows a slightly
better functional recovery after total knee arthroplasty, especially in the first
period, with more evident benefits in patients with a severe lack of muscular
activation. Nevertheless, there is no difference at medium-long term.

Langue : ANGLAIS