Abstract:
This study compared the effectiveness of three rehabilitation training programs
on motor recovery for stroke patients in knee hyperextension model including
1) manual facilitation, 2) electrical stimulation with massed practice (ESm), and
3) electrical stimulation with distributed practice (ESd).
Twenty-four stroke subjects with comparable conditions were assigned
randomly to one of the three groups. The control group received standard manual
facilitation rehabilitation for 60 minutes. Both ES groups received the same 30-minute
standard rehabilitation as the control group. The ES training was then applied for 30
minutes by stimulating the hamstring muscle to help patients elicit the knee bending.
ESm included 5 sets of 5-minute training with 1-minute rest. ESd includes 3 sets of 5-
minute training followed by 5-minute. All subjects received training 3 times a week
for a total of ten times. Knee control was evaluated by measuring the knee angles
during standing and walking, and response time.
Esd training program improved the knee control significantly more than did
either the control or ESm group. Knee angles of ESd group during standing decreased
from -2.504 0.412 to 0.000 0.653, compared to those of control group from
-3.266 0.372 to -3.039 0.362, and ESm group from -3.036 0.434 to -2.586 0.461.
Response time for ESd group also significantly decrease from 3.202 0.374 to
1.581 0.132, whereas those of control and ESm groups improved from 2.7964 0.292
and 2.868 0.572 to only 2.561 0.242 and 2.345 0.553, respectively.
Whereas those the ESd group produced a significantly higher increase of the
performance of knee angle and response time with respect to the control and the ESm
group (p<0.05).