Comparison Between Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to Abdominal and Back Muscles on Postural Balance in Post-stroke Hemiplegic Patients.
10.5535/arm.2018.42.5.652
- Author:
Mingeun PARK
1
;
Hyun SEOK
;
Sang Hyun KIM
;
Kyudong NOH
;
Seung Yeol LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea. shouletz@gmail.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Stroke;
Abdominal muscles;
Electrical stimulation;
Postural balance
- MeSH:
Abdominal Muscles;
Back Muscles*;
Electric Stimulation*;
Humans;
Postural Balance*;
Prospective Studies;
Rehabilitation;
Stroke
- From:Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
2018;42(5):652-659
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to abdominal muscles and back muscles on postural balance in post-stroke hemiplegic patients. METHODS: Thirty post-stroke hemiplegic patients were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to one of the three groups: core muscle-strengthening exercise (CME) with NMES to abdominal muscles (group A), CME with NMES to back muscles (group B), and CME alone (group C). All subjects underwent their targeted interventions for 30 minutes each day, 5 days per week for 3 weeks under a conventional stroke rehabilitation program. Subjects were evaluated using Korean version of Berg Balance Scale (K-BBS), Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Weight Distribution Index (WDI), and Stability Index (SI) just before and 3 weeks after intervention. RESULTS: Changes in K-BBS (p < 0.05) and TIS (p < 0.05) were significantly higher in group A (18.5±8.10, 6.6±1.90) and group B (19.9±5.44, 7.0±2.26) than in group C (8.4±4.14, 3.1±0.99). However, K-MBI, WDI, and SI failed to show any significant difference. No significant difference in all outcomes was observed between groups A and B. CONCLUSION: The effect of NMES to the abdominal muscles was similar to the effect on back muscles in terms of postural balance. This finding indicated that the NMES to the abdominal muscles may be an alternative for post-stroke hemiplegic patients contraindicated for NMES to the back muscles. Additional studies investigating the effects of NMES on abdominal and back muscles are needed.
