Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Randomized, Triple-Blind, and Parallel-Controlled Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Cognitive Rehabilitation after Stroke
Published on: June 6, 2025
Transcranial Direct Current Electric Stimulation Combined with Physical Exercise in Patients with Greater
Eunice Fragoso Martins1, Nicole Lie Okumura1, Vívian Santos Xavier Silva2
1School of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-881, SP, Brazil.
Background/Objectives:
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been explored as a strategy for pain management, but no study has investigated its use in Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome (GTPS). This study evaluated the effects of the combination of resistance exercises (REs) with tDCS on pain, functionality, and quality of life in patients with GTPS.
Methods:
In this randomized, double-blind trial, adults with GTPS were allocated to receive tDCS with RE (intervention group, IG) or sham tDCS with RE (control group, CG). Supervised 20 min sessions occurred on four consecutive days. Anodal tDCS (2 mA) was applied over the primary motor cortex. The primary outcome was the VISA-G.BR score at day thirty. Secondary outcomes included pain, functionality, and quality of life at multiple time points, assessed by HAGOS, PQAS, McGill Pain Questionnaire, and SF-36.
Results:
Thirty patients were included. Both groups improved, but between-group differences were nonsignificant for the primary outcome (VISA-G.BR effect size, -0.16; 95% CI, -0.54 to 0.27; p = 0.460). Secondary outcomes followed a similar pattern.
Conclusions:
These findings reinforce the value of RE in GTPS while suggesting a limited role for short-term tDCS protocols. Future studies should investigate whether protocols involving a greater number of stimulation sessions may produce superior clinical effects.
