Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of improving active ankle dorsiflexion
with contralaterally controlled neuromuscular electrical stimulation (CCNMES).
DESIGN: CCNMES dorsiflexes the paretic ankle with a stimulation intensity that is
directly proportional to the degree of voluntary dorsiflexion of the unimpaired
contralateral ankle, which is detected by an instrumented sock. Three subjects
with chronic (>6-mo poststroke) dorsiflexor paresis participated in a 6-wk CCNMES
treatment, which consisted of self-administering CCNMES-assisted ankle
dorsiflexion exercises at home daily and practicing an ankle motor control task
in the research laboratory twice a week. RESULTS: For subjects 1 and 2,
respectively, maximum voluntary ankle dorsiflexion increased by 13 and 17
degrees, ankle movement tracking error decreased by approximately 57% and 57%,
and lower limb Fugl-Meyer score (maximum score is 34) increased by 4 and 5
points. Subject 3 had no appreciable improvement in these measures. Both subjects
1 and 2 maintained their performance in ankle movement tracking through the 3-mo
follow-up; subject 2 also maintained the gains in maximum ankle dorsiflexion and
Fugl-Meyer score. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that CCNMES may have a
positive effect on ankle motor impairment in some stroke survivors. Further
investigation of the effect of CCNMES on gait is warranted.

Langue : ANGLAIS