Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Exercise for Reducing Trapezius Muscle Dysfunction in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer: A Case-Series Report

Abstract

This combination of NMES and bilateral exercise may prove to be an effective component of a comprehensive shoulder rehabilitation program for patients with persistent trapezius muscle dysfunction as a result of SAN damage.

Donor site morbidity after scapular tip free flaps in head‐and‐neck reconstruction

“…Finally, for those patients for whom data were available, we compared the first evaluation at 3–6 months postoperatively and the last evaluation to determine whether time plays a role in improving or worsening functional outcome in our patients. As shown in Table , the results were improved in both tests, confirming the major role of physical rehabilitation after surgery and the improvements in the results at the end of the healing processes.…”

A comparison of blood flow changes in tissues treated with therapeutic ultrasound and electrical stimulation

“…While there has been little research on electrical stimulation, evidence has shown many benefits of its use. Patients have seen improvements in functional performance 27,30,32,38 , muscle reeducation following ACL reconstruction 28 , increased blood flow [6][7][8][9]16,18,19,[22][23][24]26,29,31,33,34,36,41,42 , reduced neuromuscular activation deficits 16,17,20,21,24,26,28,30,32,37,38,42 , pain reduction and improved psychological wellbeing.…”

“…The resulting muscle contraction can help the clinician with meeting treatment goals that may include reducing pain, countering disuse atrophy, increasing blood flow, overcoming reflex inhibition, reducing spasm, and overcoming neurologic deficits. 2 These treatment goals may be related to treating conditions that include spinal accessory nerve injury 16 , spinal cord injury 21 , sprains, strains and joint dysfunction. Among the specific indicated uses of motor level electrical stimulation are pressure ulcers 18,33,36,38 , reeducation of muscles following surgery 28 and treatment of nerve dysfunction.…”

“…21 In another study regarding muscular contraction and electrical stimulation, NMES was placed over the spinal accessory nerve rather than the muscle belly in order to augment the central contribution to electrically stimulated contractions, which may help reduce muscle atrophy. 16 During this study, bilateral exercise and NMES were combined to address central and peripheral mechanisms that contribute to trapezius dysfunction. 16 This was the first study that investigated an intervention involving a combination of wide pulse-width, high-frequency NMES with bilateral exercise for trapezius dysfunction following the return of conduction along the spinal accessory nerve.…”

“…16 During this study, bilateral exercise and NMES were combined to address central and peripheral mechanisms that contribute to trapezius dysfunction. 16 This was the first study that investigated an intervention involving a combination of wide pulse-width, high-frequency NMES with bilateral exercise for trapezius dysfunction following the return of conduction along the spinal accessory nerve. 16 This novel application of NMES was used to help reduce muscle atrophy and enhance the electrically-evoked sensory volley sent to the central nervous system (CNS) to increase the activity and excitability in sensorimotor pathways.…”