Effects of kilohertz versus low-frequency electrical stimulation of the wrist extensors in patients after stroke: A randomized crossover trial.
Sarah Tenberg, Jonas Weinig, Daniel Niederer and 3 others
PMID 40359388WHAT IT FOUND
Low-frequency electrical stimulation was more efficient at producing force per milliamp than kilohertz stimulation in stroke patients, but both types resulted in similar force, discomfort, and fatigue.
Key findings
01Low-frequency stimulation showed higher efficiency (0.14 N/mA) than kilohertz stimulation.
02There was no significant difference between current types for electrically induced force, discomfort, or muscle fatigue.
03Large individual differences were observed in all outcomes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was slightly underpowered, including 20 participants instead of the planned 21 due to recruitment issues. Results reflect acute effects only; long-term functional outcomes were not measured. Participants were able to sit for at least 60 minutes and had some wrist extensor function (Janda 1-4), so findings may not apply to those with severe paresis or medical instability. Blinding of participants to current type was attempted, but investigators were not blinded to control intensity, which could introduce bias in subjective measures like discomfort.
Declared interests
Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The funder had no role in design, conduct, or reporting. Authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume low-frequency stimulation is clinically superior for all goals. While it was more efficient (force per milliamp), it did not produce greater peak force, less discomfort, or less fatigue than kilohertz stimulation. The choice of current type should be individualized.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →