[The comparative effectiveness of the application of various methods for electrical muscle stimulation in the patients presenting with juvenile cerebral palsy].

We studied the clinical effectiveness of rehabilitation of 168 patients presenting with juvenile cerebral palsy in the form of spastic diplegia who received the comprehensive rehabilitative treatment including therapeutic physical exercises, paraffin applications, general hydromassage baths, manual massage and electrical stimulation of weakened muscles with the use of the following devices: <SCENAR 97> for group 1 of the patients (n=38), for group 2 (n=43), for group 3 (n=45), and for group 4 (n=38). The study yielded the significantly higher scores in the test for groups 1,2, and 3 compared with group 4 (p<0.05). In all the groups, with the exception of group 4, a significant (p<0.05) increase in the range of ankle joint motions was observed in conjunction with the lowering of the spastic calf muscle tone. After a course of rehabilitation, the overall clinical effectiveness did not differ significantly between the groups, viz. it was documented in 36 (94.7%) patients of group 1, in 39 (92.8%) patients of group 2, in 43 (95.6%) patients of group 3, and in 38 (88.3%) patients of group 4. However, the estimates of <improvements were as follows: 21 (55.3%) patients in group 1, 33 (78.5%) patients in group 2, 37 (82.2%) in group 3, and 13 (30.2%) patients in group 4. These findings give evidence of high clinical effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation with the use of <Mioneyroton-bikes and , devices for the combined rehabilitation of the patients suffering from juvenile cerebral palsy in the form of spastic diplegia.