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Published on: January 10, 2013
[Effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation in stroke patients: a systematic review]
L Romera-De Francisco1, S Jimenez-Del Barrio2
1Centro Geriatrico, Soria, Espana.
Introduction:
Functional electrical stimulation is one of the physiotherapy techniques used today for the management of patients who have suffered a stroke.
Aim:
To determine the effectiveness of the functional electrical stimulation in general skills, gait, general capacities and quality of stroke patients through a systematic review. Also has secondary objective was raised to know the best method of application of this technique.
Patients And Methods:
We performed a literature search in Medline, PEDro and Cochrane Library. Clinical trials and systematic reviews about the effectiveness of the functional electrical stimulation in stroke patients from last five years were included.
Results:
Ten clinical trials and one systematic review were included and we analyzed and compared the most relevant data extracted of them.
Conclusions:
Functional electrical stimulation shows an improvement in the quality of life, motor abilities and gait in stroke patients. It is more effective associated with other physiotherapy techniques. Functional electrical stimulation alone does not provide better results than other physiotherapy techniques. The implementation of the technique in more than one muscle group, triggering impulses by active movements and associating with other interventions, is the best approach to application of functional electrical stimulation.
