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Clinical Trial
. 2020 Dec 1;20(4):472-479.

Single session exercises and concurrent functional electrical stimulation are more effective on muscles' force generation than only exercises in spinal cord injured persons: a feasibility study

Margot Bergmann  1 , Anna Zahharova  1 , Jaan Ereline  1 , Toomas Asser  2 , Helena Gapeyeva  1 , Doris Vahtrik  1
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Single session exercises and concurrent functional electrical stimulation are more effective on muscles' force generation than only exercises in spinal cord injured persons: a feasibility study

Margot Bergmann et al. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. .

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate impact of first therapy session, containing functional electrical stimulation (FES) and therapeutic exercises (TE) on erector spinae (ES) and rectus abdominis (RA) force generation in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Five men with SCI were divided in two groups - FES+TE received concurrent FES on ES and RA and TE, TE only TE. Participants performed exercises for improving sitting balance and posture. Muscles' electrical activity was evaluated by electromyography; amplitude (AEMG) and median frequency (MF) were used for analysis.

Results: AEMG of ES left (L) increased 292.9% (g=-0.92), right (R) 175% (g=-1.01), RA L 314.3% (g=-0,81, P<0.05), R 266.7% (g=-0.08) in FES+TE. AEMG of ES L increased 47.6% (g=-0.46), R 96.4% (g=-0.95); RA L 7.1% (g=-0.97), but R decreased 6.7% (g=0.12) in TE. MF of ES L increased 108.5% (g=-0.74), R 184% (g=-1.25); RA L 886.7% (g=3-05, P<0.05), R 817.6% (g=-2.55, P<0.05) in FES+TE. MF of ES L increased 95.2% (g=-1.02), R 161.4% (g=-1.64); RA L 3,2% (g=-0.06), R 30.8% (g=-0.46) in TE.

Conclusions: In SCI persons, single session exercises and concurrent functional electrical stimulation may be more effective on muscles` force generation than only exercises. However, replication of the results is needed before clinical implementation.

Keywords: Force Generation; Functional Electrical Stimulation; Muscle Fatigue; Spinal Cord Injury; Therapeutic Exercises.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of crossover study design.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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