Effects of mental imagery training combined electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation on upper limb function and activities of daily living in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized controlled trial.

Previous studies have suggested that electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation is beneficial in enhancing the upper limb function of patients with stroke. However, mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation investigation has received a little attention. This study investigated effects of mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation on upper limb function and activities of daily living of patients with chronic stroke. Sixty-eight participants were randomly allocated to mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation group or the electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation group. Both the groups performed each intervention for 30 min a day, 5 days a week, for 6 weeks. The Action Research Arm Test, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, and Korean version of Modified Barthel Index were used for outcome measures. After the intervention, both the groups showed significant improvements in all outcome measures. However, there were no significant differences in outcome measures between both the groups. These results indicated that both mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation and electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation are beneficial to improve the upper limb function and activities of daily living of patients with chronic stroke.Implications for RehabilitationMental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation might be helpful in improving upper limb function of patients with chronic strokeImprovement of upper limb function induced by mental imagery training combined with electromyogram-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation might increase independence in activities of daily living of patients with chronic stroke.