Effects of home-based sensory and motor amplitude electrical stimulation on arm dysfunction in chronic stroke

Objective: To examine the effects of a home-based arm exercise programme of sensory and motor amplitude electrical stimulation. Design: Non-concurrent, multiple-baseline, single-subject design. Subjects: Ten adults with chronic arm hemiparesis following stroke. Subjects ranged in age from 38 to 74 years and were 2-16 years post stroke. Three subjects had right-sided involvement; seven had left. Intervention: Subjects completed an eight-week, individualized, home programme of neuromuscular and sensory amplitude electrical stimulation. All subjects engaged in stimulation-assisted task-specific exercises for 15 minutes 2-3 times daily. Participants with sensory deficits received an additional 15 minutes of sensory amplitude stimulation twice daily. The Action Research Arm Test was used to examine arm function; the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement was used to examine movement quality; and the Modified Ashworth Assessment of Spasticity was used to examine muscle tone. Results: A statistically significant improvement was demonstrated by six of the 10 subjects on the Action Research Arm Test, and five subjects on the Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement. Four subjects had ≥ 10% improvement on the Modified Ashworth Assessment of Spasticity. Two subjects demonstrated significant improvement on all three outcome measures; six subjects improved on two or more measures; and seven subjects improved on one or more measure. Subjects who improved on two or more measures tended to have had more recent onset of stroke, were older and had higher baseline motor and functional capacity. Conclusion: Subjects with chronic stroke can experience impairment and functional improvements following a home-based programme of motor and sensory amplitude electrical stimulation.