The effects of electromyography-triggered electrical stimulation on shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, pain, and function in persons with stroke: A pilot study
Affiliations: [a]
Department of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| [b]
Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health and Welfare, Sahmyook University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Correspondence:
[*]
Address for correspondence: Yijung Chung, PT, Ph.D., Department of Physical Therapy, Sahmyook University, 26-21 Gongneung2-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul 139-742, Republic of Korea. Tel.: +82 2 3399 1637; Fax: +82 2 3399 1639; E-mail: yijung36@syu.ac.kr.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of task-oriented electromyography-triggered stimulation for shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, pain and upper extremity function in hemiparetic stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty participants with subacute hemiparetic stroke were recruited for this study and were randomly divided into two groups: experimental group (n = 10) and control group (n = 10). Subjects in the experimental group participated in task-oriented electromyography triggered stimulation for 30 minutes, five times a week for four weeks, whereas the control group received cyclic functional electrical stimulation for 30 minutes, five times a week for four weeks. Subjects in both groups received conventional physical therapy for four weeks (30 min/day, five times/week). Data collected included the degree of shoulder subluxation which had been confirmed by X-ray, muscle activation of the supraspinatus and posterior deltoid muscles by electromyography, pain by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and hand function by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) before and after the four week exercise period. RESULTS: The results showed significant improvement in shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, and VAS results in the experimental group, compared with the control group(p < 0.05). FMA scores showed no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, task-oriented electromyography-triggered stimulation improved shoulder subluxation, muscle activation, pain and upper extremity function. These results suggest that task-oriented electromyography-triggered stimulation is effective and beneficial for individuals with subacute stroke, and that further studies should be conducted on multivarious anatomical regions.
