Functional electrical stimulation for shoulder subluxation after chronic stroke: a case report

Abstract

Shoulder subluxation is a common complication among stroke survivors; it may cause pain, brachial plexus injuries, adhesive capsulitis and rotator cuff muscle injuries, leading to rehabilitation delay and interference in patients' quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) in post-stroke hemiplegia shoulder subluxation. Three patients with over one year of stroke onset and shoulder subluxation confirmed by X ray were assessed prior to, and after FES treatment, as to: degree of shoulder subluxation and range of motion (ROM); sensory-motor function by the Fugl-Meyer scale; and pain at rest and at passive movement by means of a visual analog scale. All patients were treated with conventional physical therapy and FES in the hemiplegic member for ten sessions. Results showed improvement in final measures of ROM and sensory-motor assessments, pain relief and shoulder subluxation reduction after treatment. FES associated to conventional physical therapy has thus proved effective in decreasing subluxation, increasing upper limb function and in relieving pain in post-stroke shoulder subluxation patients.