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

采用双通道刺激器经体表电极对11例脑卒中慢性期偏瘫患者下肢进行治疗性电刺激。将成对电极分别置于股直肌和腓总神经表面。通过市售的双通道刺激器（PULSECURE-PRO KR-7，OG GIKEN CO LTD.）对这两块肌肉分别给予15秒的交替电刺激。脉冲宽度和频率分别设定为0.3 ms和30 Hz。每天进行两次15分钟的交替电刺激。治疗前对患者进行Brunnstrom分级、步行速度、步数、踝关节、膝关节、髋关节活动度（ROM）、伸腿抬高等评定。还使用了二维运动分析仪。同样的评估也在12周后进行。所有患者的步行速度均有所改善。其中7例患者在直腿抬高过程中髋关节的主动和被动ROM均有所改善。其中1例显示Brunnstrom分期改善。这些结果表明，通过表面电极使用双通道刺激器对下肢进行TES即使在中风的慢性阶段也是有效的。

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.