TENS plus task-related training in stroke patients
Researchers from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University report that the combination is better than either treatment alone.
First, the details.
- 88 chronic stroke survivors were assigned randomly to one of 4 treatments 5 days a week for 4 weeks
- TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)
- TENS+TRT (task-related training)
- Placebo TENS+TRT
- No treatment
TENS is a technique where mild electric currents are applied to some areas of the skin by a small power pack.
And, the results with TENS+TRT.
- Significantly greater improvement in ankle dorsiflexion torque (bending the ankle upward) and in ankle plantarflexion torque (pointing the foot down) vs TENS
- Significantly earlier and greater reduction of plantarflexor spasticity and improvement in ankle dorsiflexion torque vs placebo+TRT.
- Significantly greater improvement in gait velocity (speed of a person’s walk) vs the other groups.
The bottom line?
The authors concluded, “In patients with chronic stroke, 20 sessions of a combined TENS+TRT home-based program decreased plantarflexor spasticity, improved dorsiflexor and plantarflexor strength, and increased gait velocity significantly.”
And, the improvements were maintained 4 weeks after treatment ended.
11/18/07 17:58 JR
