Patients' Experiences of Self-Administered Electrotherapy for Spasticity in Stroke and Cerebral Palsy: A Qualitative Study.
Lise-Lotte Jonasson, Ann Sörbo, Per Ertzgaard and 1 others
PMID 34935050WHAT IT FOUND
Patients reported the self-administered electrotherapy suit reduced spasticity and pain, but many found it impossible to put on alone due to tight fits and difficult zips.
The need for assistance contradicted the goal of home independence, though some successfully reduced medication use.
Key findings
01Participants valued the potential to reduce spasticity without the side-effects of pharmacological treatments like botulinum toxin or oral baclofen.
02The suit's tight fit and difficult zips often required help from relatives or home service personnel, which conflicted with the aim of self-administered home treatment.
03Some respondents reported reduced muscle tension, improved mobility, and the ability to stop or reduce certain medications, though experiences varied from no effect to long-term relief.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study only interviewed 15 of the 27 participants from the previous trial, so it is unclear if the non-respondents had different experiences. Interviews were conducted 6 to 12 months after the treatment ended, which may affect the accuracy of recall regarding specific sensations or difficulties. The participants' experiences covered both the randomized controlled trial phase and a subsequent free-use phase, making it difficult to attribute specific comments to one part of the study or the other. Some respondents had difficulty expressing themselves due to their health condition, which may have limited the depth of certain interviews.
Declared interests
The text notes that the company offered participants the assistive technology to keep, and that the previous study was blinded, which limited the company's ability to intervene on technical issues like stimulation intensity during the trial. No explicit funding declaration is present in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that self-administered electrotherapy is truly independent for all patients. The study found that the tight fit required for the device to work often made it impossible for patients with limited hand function to put it on alone, necessitating help from carers and potentially reducing adherence.