Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the addition of electrical stimulation to
progressive resistance training increases the voluntary strength of the wrist
muscles in people with tetraplegia. DESIGN:
Assessor-blind within-subject
randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Two Australian spinal cord injury units and
the community. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-four wrists of 32 people with tetraplegia and
bilateral weakness of the wrist extensor or flexor muscles (grade 2 - 4 Medical
Research Council grades). INTERVENTIONS: Participants' wrists were randomly
allocated to one of two conditions. Wrist muscles of the experimental arm
received electrical stimulation superimposed on progressive resistance training.
The wrist muscles of the contralateral arm received sham electrical stimulation
superimposed on progressive resistance training. Both arms received 6 sets of 10
contractions three times a week for eight weeks such that the only difference
between arms was the application of electrical stimulation. MAIN MEASURES: The
primary outcome was maximal voluntary isometric strength. Secondary outcomes were
a fatigue resistance ratio representing voluntary and electrically-stimulated
endurance. Measurements were taken at the start and end of the eight-week
treatment period. RESULTS: The mean treatment effect (95% Confidence Interval) of
electrical stimulation for voluntary strength was 0.04 Nm (95% CI, -0.5 to 0.6; p
=0.89). The mean treatment effect (95% CI) for fatigue ratio representing
voluntary endurance and electrically-stimulated endurance was -0.01 (95% CI, -0.1
to 0.1; p =0.78) and -0.07 (95% CI, -0.3 to 0.1; p =0.47), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Voluntary strength of the wrist is not enhanced by the addition of
electrical stimulation to progressive resistance training programs in people with
tetraplegia.

Langue : ANGLAIS