To investigate whether
transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (
TENS) mitigates the spasticity of hemiplegic
stroke patients, as assessed by electrophysiological variables, and the effects, if any, on the clinical appearance of spasticity. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-seven subjects who had acute
hemiplegia and 24 healthy people as the control group, were enrolled in this study. Some of the acute
cerebrovascular disease patients could walk. Subjects who did not have spasticity, who were taking antispasticity medicine, or had a previous episode of
cerebrovascular disease were excluded. The walking speed of the patients was recorded before and after
TENS. EMG examinations were performed on the healthy controls and in the affected side of the patients. A 30-minute single session of
TENS was applied to lower extremity.
At 10 minutes after
TENS, the EMG examinations were repeated. [Results] A statistically significant decrease in the spasticity variables, and increased walking speed were found post-
TENS. The lower M amplitude and higher H reflex amplitude, H/M maximum amplitude ratio, H slope, and H slope/M slope ratio on the
spastic side were found to be statistically significant. [Conclusion]
TENS application for hemiplegic patients with
spastic lower extremities due to
cerebrovascular disease resulted in marked improvement in clinical scales of spasticity and significant changes in the electrophysiological variables.