Evidence Hub

Assisted movement with proprioceptive stimulation reduces impairment and restores function in incomplete spinal cord injury

Backus D, Cordo P, Gillott A, Kandilakis C, Mori M, Raslan AM

Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 2014

10 participants

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To test whether treatment with assisted movement with enhanced sensation (AMES) using vibration to the antagonist muscle would reduce impairments and restore upper limb function in people with incomplete tetraplegia.

DESIGN: Prospective, pre-post study.

SETTING: Laboratory and rehabilitation hospital.

PARTICIPANTS: We recruited 15 arms from 10 individuals (8 men; mean age, 40.5 y; mean years postspinal cord injury [SCI], 3) with chronic, incomplete tetraplegia.

INTERVENTION: Two or three 20-minute sessions per week over 9 to 13 weeks (25 sessions total) on the AMES device, which combines repeated movement with targeted vibration to the antagonist muscle.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Strength and active motion tests on the AMES device; International Standards for the Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) motor and sensory examinations; Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS); grasp and release test (GRT); Van Lieshout Test (VLT); and Capabilities of Upper Extremity questionnaire (CUE).

RESULTS: The AMES strength test scores improved significantly in metacarpophalangeal flexion (P=.024) and extension (P=.007) and wrist flexion (P=.001) and extension (P<.000). The AMES active motion scores improved in the hand (P=.001) and wrist (P=.001). The MAS and ISNCSCI scores remained unchanged, whereas the GRT scores increased (P=.025). Post hoc analysis showed a trend from pre- to posttreatment (P=.068) and a significant change from pretreatment to 3-month follow-up (P=.046). There…

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free