Effects of mental imagery training combined electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation on upper limb function and activities of daily living in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Purpose: Previous studies have suggested that electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation is beneficial in enhancing the upper limb function of patients with stroke. However, mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation investigation has received a little attention. This study investigated effects of mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation on upper limb function and activities of daily living of patients with chronic stroke.

Method: Sixty-eight participants were randomly allocated to mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation group or the electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation group. Both the groups performed each intervention for 30 min a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks. The Action Research Arm Test, Fugl–Meyer Assessment, and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index were used for outcome measures.

Results: After the intervention, both the groups showed significant improvements in all outcome measures. However, there were no significant differences in outcome measures between both the groups.

Conclusions: These results indicated that both mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation and electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation are beneficial to improve the upper limb function and activities of daily living of patients with chronic stroke.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• Mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation might be helpful in improving upper limb function of patients with chronic stroke

• Improvement of upper limb function induced by mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation might increase independence in activities of daily living of patients with chronic stroke

Keywords:

• Electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation
• mental imagery training
• stroke
• upper limb
• activities of daily living

Acknowlegements

This work was supported by the Soonchunhyang University Research Fund.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.