Electroneurographic Evaluation of Neural Impulse Transmission in Patients after Ischemic Stroke Following Functional Electrical Stimulation of Antagonistic Muscles at Wrist and Ankle in Two-Month Follow-Up

Abstract

The available data from electroneurography (ENG) studies on the transmission of neural impulses in the motor fibers of upper and lower extremity nerves following neuromuscular functional electrical stimulation (NMFES) combined with kinesiotherapy in post-stroke patients during sixty-day observation do not provide convincing results. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of an NMFES of antagonistic muscle groups at the wrist and ankle and kinesiotherapy based mainly on proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF). An ENG was performed once in a group of 60 healthy volunteers and three times in 120 patients after stroke (T0, up to 7 days after the incident; T1, after 21 days of treatment; and T2, after 60 days of treatment); 60 subjects received personalized NMFES and PNF treatment (NMFES+K), while the other 60 received only PNF (K). An ENG studied peripheral (M-wave recordings), C8 and L5 ventral root (F-wave recordings) neural impulse transmission in the peroneal and the ulnar nerves on the hemiparetic side. Both groups statistically differed in their amplitudes of M-wave recording parameters after peroneal nerve stimulation performed at T0 and T2 compared with the control group. After 60 days of treatment, only the patients from the NMFES+K group showed significant improvement in M-wave recordings. The application of the proposed NMFES electrostimulation algorithm combined with PNF improved the peripheral neural transmission in peroneal but not ulnar motor nerve fibers in patients after ischemic stroke. Combined kinesiotherapy and safe, personalized, controlled electrotherapy after stroke give better results than kinesiotherapy alone.

Relationships between the Clinical Test Results and Neurophysiological Findings in Patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

“…By contrast, the transmission of sensory neural impulses peripherally within the fibres of the cutaneous anterobrachial median nerves, originating from the lower part of the brachial plexus, was expected to express more axonal than demyelinating changes in the SCV recordings following their stimulation at the cubital fossa and recordings along the median aspect of the forearm ( Figure 1 E). More detailed descriptions of hereinabove mentioned ENG studies are provided in the studies by Kothari et al [ 19 ], Huber et al, and Kaczmarek et al [ 35 , 36 ].…”

Incidence of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Other Coexisting Brachial Plexus Neuropathies in Bullseye Shooters—A Pilot Retrospective Clinical and Neurophysiological Assessment

“…Parameters of amplitudes (µV) and latencies (ms) of M-wave potentials were compared between the results obtained from shooters and healthy volunteers. In the case of F-wave recordings, a frequency of no less than 14 to 20 M responses after applying electrical stimuli was analyzed and was considered proper [17]. All patients underwent sensory conduction studies (SCV) (Figure 2B) on the median and ulnar nerves after stimulation of the fingertips or the fifth finger with recordings of the prewrist areas.…”