Abstract
Yeh C-Y, Tsai K-H, Su F-C, Lo H-C. Effect of a bout of leg cycling with electrical
stimulation on reduction of hypertonia in patients with stroke.
Objectives
To evaluate whether a bout of leg cycling in patients with stroke reduces muscle tone
and to determine whether neuromuscular functional electrical stimulation (FES) to
the affected leg during cycling is more effective than cycling without FES.
Design
Within-subject comparison.
Setting
University hospital.
Participants
Patients with stroke (N=16; age range, 42-72y; <8wk poststroke) with hypertonia in
the affected leg.
Interventions
Subjects' affected leg (1) performed cycling exercise with the assistance of FES (assisted-cycling
session) and (2) performed cycling exercise without the assistance of FES (nonassisted-cycling
session). Subjects sat in a specially designed wheelchair positioned on a resistance-free
roller for each 20-minute session.
Main Outcome Measures
Changes in muscle tone pre- and posttest session were compared by using the Modified
Ashworth Scale and the pendulum test (relaxation index and peak velocity).
Results
Modified Ashworth Scale scores were significantly lower (P<.05) and relaxation index and peak velocity values were significantly higher (P<.05) after both sessions. Changes in Modified Ashworth Scale scores, relaxation index,
and peak velocity values showed a significant (P<.05) difference between the 2 sessions, and assisted cycling reduced hypertonia more
than nonassisted cycling.
Conclusions
The hypertonia of patients with stroke showed a significant decrease immediately after
a bout of leg-cycling exercise. FES-assisted leg cycling was better than nonassisted
cycling for reducing hypertonia.
Key Words
List of Abbreviations:
FES (functional electrical stimulation)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Footnotes
Supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China (grant no. NSC 94-2614-B-006-002).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
