Spasticity Assessment through Pendulum Testing in Individuals with Tetraplegia Undergoing Rehabilitation with Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation

摘要

Objective: To analyze the effects of different neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) protocols on spasticity improvement in subjects with tetraplegia. Methods: 13 patients with tetraplegia went through the pendulum test evaluation before and after NMES treatment. During tests an electrogoniometer was placed on a leg to measure leg oscillations and knee angles. Individuals were divided in two groups according to the treatment: gait group with NMES (n=6) and exercise group with NMES (n=7) Results: Relaxation index, test duration in seconds, angle of the first swing and rest angle of the leg in both legs were assessed before and after the treatment for both groups. Most differences were observed in the gait group. Conclusion: Both treatments with NMES have shown to be effective treatments for spasticity improvement in individuals with tetraplegia.