IMPROVEMENT OF WALKING ABILITY OF HEMIPLEGIA ON CHRONIC STAGE OF STROKE BY MEANS OF THERAPEUTIC ELECTRICAL STIMULATION THROUGH SURFACE ELECTRODE.

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Therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) by using two channel stimulator through surface electrodes was applied to the lower extremities of 11 hemiparetic patients in chronic stage of stroke. The paired electrodes were put on the surface of the rectus femoris and common peroneal nerve, respectively. Alternate electrical stimulation of 15 seconds each to these two muscles was given by commercially available two channel stimulator (PULSECURE-PRO KR-7, OG GIKEN CO LTD.). Pulse width and frequency were set at 0.3 ms and 30 Hz, respectively. Fifteen minutes' session of the alternate electrical stimulation was done two times per day. The assessments of Brunnstrom's stages, walking speed, number of steps, range of motion (ROM) of the ankle, knee, hip joint and stretch leg rising were done prior to the treatment. The two dimensional motion analyzer was also used. The same assessments were also done after 12 weeks session. All of the patients showed improvement of walking speed. Seven of the patients showed improvement of the active and passive ROM of the hip joint during straight leg rising. One of them showed improvement of Brunnstrom's stages. These results mean that TES to the lower extremities by using two channel stimulator through surface electrodes was effective even in the chronic stage of stroke.