Neuromuscular electrical stimulation in neurorehabilitation

• Published in: Muscle & nerve Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 562 - 590
• Main Authors: Sheffler, Lynne R., Chae, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.05.2007; Wiley
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; bladder function; Electric Stimulation Therapy - instrumentation; functional electrical stimulation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Medical sciences; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; motor relearning; Muscles - physiology; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; Neurology; neuromuscular electrical stimulation; neuroprosthesis; Prostheses and Implants; rehabilitation; respiratory control; Spinal Cord Injuries - rehabilitation; spinal cord injury; stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Motor system disorder; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Lower limb; Cardiovascular disease; Painful shoulder; Vascular disease; Atrophy; Prevention; functional electrical stimulation; rehabilitation; motor relearning; Spinal cord trauma; Hemiplegia; Upper limb; Muscle; Venous thrombosis; Neurological disorder; Respiratory control; Cerebrovascular disease; Human; spinal cord injury; Nervous system diseases; Stroke; bladder function; Electrical stimulus; Neuroprosthesis; Cerebral disorder; Central nervous system disease; Body movement; neuromuscular electrical stimulation; Oxygenation; Spinal cord disease
• ISSN: 0148-639X; 1097-4598
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.20758

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical uses of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for functional and therapeutic applications in subjects with spinal cord injury or stroke. Functional applications refer to the use of NMES to activate paralyzed muscles in precise sequence and magnitude to directly accomplish functional tasks. In therapeutic applications, NMES may lead to a specific effect that enhances function, but does not directly provide function. The specific neuroprosthetic or “functional” applications reviewed in this article include upper‐ and lower‐limb motor movement for self‐care tasks and mobility, respectively, bladder function, and respiratory control. Specific therapeutic applications include motor relearning, reduction of hemiplegic shoulder pain, muscle strengthening, prevention of muscle atrophy, prophylaxis of deep venous thrombosis, improvement of tissue oxygenation and peripheral hemodynamic functioning, and cardiopulmonary conditioning. Perspectives on future developments and clinical applications of NMES are presented. Muscle Nerve, 2007