Effects of functional electrical stimulation-cycling on shoulder pain and subluxation in patients with acute–subacute stroke: a pilot study

Functional electrical stimulation (FES)-cycling is a technique used to provide voluntary muscle contraction during a functional task. The aims were primarily to determine the effects of FES-cycling on shoulder pain and subluxation, and secondarily to evaluate the improvement of upper extremity motor function in patients with acute–subacute stroke patient. In this prospective trial, 21 patients with acute–subacute stroke, randomly assigned into the FES-cycling group or the standard rehabilitation program (control group). Analyses of shoulder subluxation were carried out by radiography. The numeric rating scale was used to evaluate the intensity of pain, Fugl-Meyer and Frenchay arm tests for motor function, and functional independence measure for functional status. The outcome data were evaluated at baseline and at the end of 4-week treatment. Intragroup comparisons showed improvement of acromiohumeral distance, Fugl-Meyer assessment, and functional independence measure in both groups after treatment. In intergroup comparison, FES-cycling group exerted better outcomes in shoulder pain compared with the control group (P=0.015). Correlation analyses demonstrated only positive correlation between shoulder subluxation and pain (P=0.022). FES-cycling was superior to standard rehabilitation therapy for shoulder pain relief in patients with acute–subacute stroke. Therefore, combining FES-cycling with a standard rehabilitation program alleviates shoulder pain and may prevent development of shoulder subluxation over time.

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