Evaluation of the Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Mirror Therapy in Hemiplegia Rehabilitation

Evaluation of the Effects of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Mirror Therapy in Hemiplegia Rehabilitation; Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Single-Blinded Study

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate whether or not NMES in front of the mirror brings an additional benefit to mirror therapy alone or NMES alone on upper extremity motor and functional development, spasticity, anxiety, depression, cognitive function and activities of daily living, and neuropathic pain.

Cerebrovascular diseases are the general name given to clinical neurological pictures that occur as a result of pathological changes in the blood vessels of the primary lesion and / or in the properties of the blood passing through them. Many complications develop in the acute and chronic periods in patients with stroke, and the rate of complication development has been reported to vary between 40-96% in different studies. The aim of hemiplegic upper extremity rehabilitation is to prevent complications and improve lost motor-sensory control. Upper limb rehabilitation is less successful than lower limb rehabilitation because the upper limb is more functional and more complex.

For muscle reeducation, NMES is used to strengthen inhibited muscle groups, facilitate voluntary isolated muscle contraction, prevent muscle atrophy, increase metabolism and enzyme activity, change the contractile properties of the muscle, maintain or increase the normal range of motion of the joint, develop voluntary movement and functional gains. NMES has been used in hemiplegia rehabilitation since 1960 for the purpose of functional retraining of muscles. The purpose of this treatment is to enable the muscles with impaired neural function of the electrical current to perform a functional and useful movement.

Applications in front of the mirror are thought to trigger the neuronal connections in the motor cortex associated with the imagined movement. Findings obtained from studies with functional magnetic resonance support this theory. Compared to conventional PR, applications in front of the mirror are thought to have more and longer-lasting effects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subacute hemiplegia
• Patients who can communicate well, are motivated enough and are willing to participate in the study
• Patients' medical conditions are stable
• Initiation of voluntary extension movement in the wrist (lower limit)

Exclusion Criteria:

• The presence of more than one previous cerebrovascular disease (except transient ischemic attack).
• Presence of flaccid hemiplegia.
• Presence of a previous neurological disease causing a decrease in strength in the affected extremity.
• Presence of deformity due to a previous fracture, inflammatory arthropathy, etc. in the affected extremity.
• Presence of more than grade 3 spasticity in upper extremity according to Modified Ashworth Scale
• Use of cardiac pace maker
• Presence of fatal cardiac arrhythmia
• Presence of seizure history within 2 years.