Article

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation
(FES) on drop foot in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), using data from
standard clinical practice.
DESIGN: Case series with a consecutive sample of FES
users collected between 2008 and 2013. SETTING: Specialist FES center at a
district general hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with MS who have drop foot
(N=187) (117 women, 70 men; mean age, 55y [range, 27-80y]; mean duration since
diagnosis, 11.7y [range, 1-56y]). A total of 166 patients were still using FES
after 20 weeks, with 153 patients completing the follow-up measures.
INTERVENTIONS: FES of the common peroneal nerve (178 unilateral, 9 bilateral FES
users). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinically meaningful changes (ie, >.05m/s and
>0.1m/s) and functional walking category derived from 10-m walking speed.
RESULTS: An increase in walking speed was found to be highly significant
(P<.001), both initially where a minimum clinically meaningful change was
observed (.07m/s) and after 20 weeks with a substantial clinically meaningful
change (.11m/s). After 20 weeks, treatment responders displayed a 27% average
improvement in their walking speed. No significant training effect was found.
Overall functional walking category was maintained or improved in 95% of
treatment responders. CONCLUSIONS: FES of the dorsiflexors is a well-accepted
intervention that enables clinically meaningful changes in walking speed, leading
to a preserved or an increased functional walking category.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS