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Immediate effects of electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement on gait velocity and spasticity in persons with hemiparetic stroke: a randomized controlled study [with consumer summary]
Yamaguchi T, Tanabe S, Muraoka Y, Masakado Y, Kimura A, Tsuji T, Liu M
Clinical Rehabilitation 2012 Jul;26(7):619-628
clinical trial
8/10 [Eligibility criteria: Yes; Random allocation: Yes; Concealed allocation: Yes; Baseline comparability: Yes; Blind subjects: No; Blind therapists: No; Blind assessors: Yes; Adequate follow-up: Yes; Intention-to-treat analysis: Yes; Between-group comparisons: Yes; Point estimates and variability: Yes. Note: Eligibility criteria item does not contribute to total score] *This score has been confirmed*

OBJECTIVE: Research to examine the immediate effects of electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement on gait velocity and spasticity. DESIGN: A single-masked, randomized controlled trial design. SUBJECTS: Twenty-seven stroke inpatients in subacute phase (ischemic n = 16, hemorrhagic n = 11). INTERVENTIONS: A novel approach using electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement. MAIN MEASURES: We assessed the maximum gait speed and modified Ashworth scale before and 20 minutes after the interventions. RESULTS: The gait velocity of the electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement group showed the increase form 0.68 +/- 0.28 (mean +/- SD, unit: m) to 0.76 +/- 0.32 after the intervention. Both the electrical stimulation group and passive locomotion-like movement group also showed increases after the interventions (from 0.76 +/- 0.37 to 0.79 +/- 0.40, from 0.74 +/- 0.35 to 0.77 +/- 0.36, respectively). The gait velocity of the electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement group differed significantly from those of the other groups (electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement versus electrical stimulation: p = 0.049, electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement versus passive locomotion-like movement: p = 0.025). Although there was no statistically significant difference in the modified Ashworth scale among the three groups, six of the nine subjects (66.6%) in the electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement group showed improvement in the modified Ashworth scale score, while only three of the nine subjects (33.3%) in the electrical stimulation group and two of the nine subjects (22.2%) improved in the passive locomotion-like movement group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest electrical stimulation combined with passive locomotion-like movement could improve gait velocity in stroke patients.

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