The effects of functional electrical stimulation on muscle tone and stiffness of stroke patients

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of functional electrical stimulation on muscle tone and stiffness in stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Ten patients who had suffered from stroke were recruited. The intervention was functional electrical stimulation on ankle dorsiflexor muscle (tibialis anterior). The duration of functional electrical stimulation was 30 minutes, 5 times a week for 6 weeks. The Myoton was used a measure the muscle tone and stiffness of the gastrocnemius muscle (medial and lateral part) on paretic side. [Results] In the assessment of muscle tone, medial and lateral part of gastrocnemius muscle showed differences before and after the experiment. Muscle stiffness of medial gastrocnemius muscle showed differences, and lateral gastrocnemius muscle showed differences before and after the experiment. The changes were greater in stiffness scores than muscle tone. [Conclusion] These results suggest that FES on ankle dorsiflexor muscle had a positive effect on muscle tone and stiffness of stroke patients.

[1]  C. Engel,et al.  Gait , 2016, Medical & biological illustration.

[2]  S. Simon Gait Analysis, Normal and Pathological Function. , 1993 .

[3]  K.,et al.  Reliability of measurements of muscle tone and muscle power in stroke patients. , 2000, Age and ageing.

[4]  M. Ladouceur,et al.  Clinical and Therapeutic Applications of Neuromuscular Stimulation: A Review of Current Use and Speculation into Future Developments , 2001, Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society.

[5]  Jia-Jin Chen,et al.  Effects of a single session of prolonged muscle stretch on spastic muscle of stroke patients. , 2001, Proceedings of the National Science Council, Republic of China. Part B, Life sciences.

[6]  R. Lardner Stretching and flexibility: its importance in rehabilitation , 2001 .

[7]  Eadric Bressel,et al.  The effect of prolonged static and cyclic stretching on ankle joint stiffness, torque relaxation, and gait in people with stroke. , 2002, Physical therapy.

[8]  P. van Vliet,et al.  Reliability of measurements obtained with the modified Ashworth scale in the lower extremities of people with stroke. , 2002, Physical therapy.

[9]  Intérêt de l’analyse tridimensionnelle de la marche, dans la prise en charge du pied spastique , 2003 .

[10]  [Three dimensional gait analysis and controlling spastic foot on stroke patients]. , 2003, Annales de readaptation et de medecine physique : revue scientifique de la Societe francaise de reeducation fonctionnelle de readaptation et de medecine physique.

[11]  D N Rushton,et al.  Functional electrical stimulation and rehabilitation--an hypothesis. , 2003, Medical engineering & physics.

[12]  S. Allison,et al.  Correlation of quantitative measures with the modified Ashworth scale in the assessment of plantar flexor spasticity in patients with traumatic brain injury , 1995, Journal of Neurology.

[13]  T. Yan,et al.  Functional Electrical Stimulation Improves Motor Recovery of the Lower Extremity and Walking Ability of Subjects With First Acute Stroke: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial , 2005, Stroke.

[14]  P. Peckham,et al.  Functional electrical stimulation for neuromuscular applications. , 2005, Annual review of biomedical engineering.

[15]  The guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of spasticity. , 2006, Journal of neurosurgical sciences.

[16]  L. Widén Holmqvist,et al.  Spasticity and Its Association with Functioning and Health-Related Quality of Life 18 Months after Stroke , 2006, Cerebrovascular Diseases.

[17]  Y. Hara,et al.  Neurorehabilitation with new functional electrical stimulation for hemiparetic upper extremity in stroke patients. , 2008, Journal of Nippon Medical School = Nippon Ika Daigaku zasshi.

[18]  Elham Fatemy,et al.  Does electrical stimulation reduce spasticity after stroke? A randomized controlled study , 2008, Clinical rehabilitation.

[19]  Jeffrey M. Hausdorff,et al.  Neuroprosthesis for footdrop compared with an ankle-foot orthosis: effects on postural control during walking. , 2009, Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases : the official journal of National Stroke Association.

[20]  J. Higginson,et al.  Functional Electrical Stimulation of Ankle Plantarflexor and Dorsiflexor Muscles: Effects on Poststroke Gait , 2009, Stroke.

[21]  E. Roth,et al.  Effects of repeated ankle stretching on calf muscle-tendon and ankle biomechanical properties in stroke survivors. , 2011, Clinical biomechanics.

[22]  Manjunatha Mahadevappa,et al.  Functional electrical stimulation of dorsiflexor muscle: effects on dorsiflexor strength, plantarflexor spasticity, and motor recovery in stroke patients. , 2011, NeuroRehabilitation.

[23]  In-Chul Kim,et al.  Effects of Augmented Reality with Functional Electric Stimulation on Muscle Strength, Balance and Gait of Stroke Patients , 2012 .

[24]  Mee-Young Kim,et al.  The Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation on Balance of Stroke Patients in the Standing Posture , 2012 .

[25]  Byoung-Hee Lee,et al.  An Ankle Proprioceptive Control Program Improves Balance, Gait Ability of Chronic Stroke Patients , 2013, Journal of physical therapy science.

[26]  Yijung Chung,et al.  Treadmill gait training combined with functional electrical stimulation on hip abductor and ankle dorsiflexor muscles for chronic hemiparesis. , 2015, Gait & posture.