Changes in leg cycling muscle synergies after training augmented by functional electrical stimulation in subacute stroke survivors: a pilot study.
Emilia Ambrosini, Monica Parati, Elisabetta Peri and 5 others
PMID 32106874WHAT IT FOUND
Nine subacute stroke survivors improved clinically and in cycling work after three weeks of FES-cycling.
However, the number of muscle synergies did not increase, and changes were not compared to usual care alone. You cannot attribute these gains specifically to the electrical stimulation.
Key findings
01Clinical measures and gait speed improved significantly after the 3-week intervention.
02The number of muscle synergies on the affected side did not change, and the unaffected side showed a significant decrease.
03The study had no control group, so it is impossible to separate the effects of FES-cycling from usual care or spontaneous recovery.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was very small, with only nine participants. There was no control group, so it is impossible to tell if the improvements were due to the FES-cycling, the usual care, or spontaneous recovery. All participants could already walk and had low-to-moderate impairment, so the results do not apply to patients who are unable to walk. The study was a pilot, designed to explore feasibility and mechanisms rather than to prove clinical efficacy.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvements in gait speed and clinical scores as proof that FES-cycling is effective. Because the study had no control group and included only nine patients, these gains may reflect normal recovery or the effects of usual care rather than the specific contribution of electrical stimulation.