We have investigated a therapeutic regimen using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and dynamic bracing to assess their effectiveness in reducing upper-extremity spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Nineteen patients between 4 and 21 years of age with documented diagnoses of spastic cerebral palsy were treated. The patients included in the study followed a regimen of two 30-minute sessions of NMES of the antagonist extensors combined with dynamic orthotic traction during the day. A static brace was used at night. Spasticity of the wrist and fingers was assessed periodically using the Zancolli classification. Treatment ranged from 3 to 43 months. After treatment with electrical stimulation and dynamic bracing, all the patients moved up 1 to 3 levels in the Zancolli classification and showed a marked improvement in upper-extremity function. These results show that combining NMES and dynamic orthotic traction dramatically decreases spasticity of the upper extremity in young patients with cerebral palsy.
%0 Journal Article
%1 Scheker1999
%A Scheker, L. R.
%A Chesher, S. P.
%A Ramirez, S.
%D 1999
%J J Hand Surg Br
%K Adolescent; Adult; Braces; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Child, Preschool; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Ma; Muscle Spasticity; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; le
%N 2
%P 226--232
%R 10.1054/jhsb.1998.0002
%T Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and dynamic bracing as a treatment for upper-extremity spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1054/jhsb.1998.0002
%V 24
%X We have investigated a therapeutic regimen using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and dynamic bracing to assess their effectiveness in reducing upper-extremity spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Nineteen patients between 4 and 21 years of age with documented diagnoses of spastic cerebral palsy were treated. The patients included in the study followed a regimen of two 30-minute sessions of NMES of the antagonist extensors combined with dynamic orthotic traction during the day. A static brace was used at night. Spasticity of the wrist and fingers was assessed periodically using the Zancolli classification. Treatment ranged from 3 to 43 months. After treatment with electrical stimulation and dynamic bracing, all the patients moved up 1 to 3 levels in the Zancolli classification and showed a marked improvement in upper-extremity function. These results show that combining NMES and dynamic orthotic traction dramatically decreases spasticity of the upper extremity in young patients with cerebral palsy.
@article{Scheker1999,
abstract = {We have investigated a therapeutic regimen using neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and dynamic bracing to assess their effectiveness in reducing upper-extremity spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. Nineteen patients between 4 and 21 years of age with documented diagnoses of spastic cerebral palsy were treated. The patients included in the study followed a regimen of two 30-minute sessions of NMES of the antagonist extensors combined with dynamic orthotic traction during the day. A static brace was used at night. Spasticity of the wrist and fingers was assessed periodically using the Zancolli classification. Treatment ranged from 3 to 43 months. After treatment with electrical stimulation and dynamic bracing, all the patients moved up 1 to 3 levels in the Zancolli classification and showed a marked improvement in upper-extremity function. These results show that combining NMES and dynamic orthotic traction dramatically decreases spasticity of the upper extremity in young patients with cerebral palsy.},
added-at = {2014-07-19T21:14:33.000+0200},
author = {Scheker, L. R. and Chesher, S. P. and Ramirez, S.},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/27eeba6f22cbea4a1ed24cf6eecb10e0e/ar0berts},
doi = {10.1054/jhsb.1998.0002},
groups = {public},
interhash = {40d2cf443dc91050d60ebd01f13147e5},
intrahash = {7eeba6f22cbea4a1ed24cf6eecb10e0e},
journal = {J Hand Surg [Br]},
keywords = {Adolescent; Adult; Braces; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Child, Preschool; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Ma; Muscle Spasticity; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; le},
month = Apr,
number = 2,
pages = {226--232},
pii = {S0266-7681(98)90002-X},
pmid = {10372781},
timestamp = {2014-07-19T21:14:33.000+0200},
title = {Neuromuscular electrical stimulation and dynamic bracing as a treatment for upper-extremity spasticity in children with cerebral palsy.},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1054/jhsb.1998.0002},
username = {ar0berts},
volume = 24,
year = 1999
}