Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine
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Ann Phys Rehabil Med · Jan 2019
Virtual reality for spinal cord injury-associated neuropathic pain: Systematic review.
Treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI)-associated neuropathic pain is challenging, with limited efficacy and no definitive options, and SCI patients often show resistance to pharmacologic treatment. Virtual reality (VR) therapy is a non-invasive, non-pharmacologic alternative with minimal adverse effects. ⋯ VR therapy could reduce SCI-associated neuropathic pain, although the clinical significance of this analgesic effect is unclear. Clinical trials evaluating VR therapy as standalone and/or adjunct therapy for neuropathic pain in SCI patients are warranted.
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Ann Phys Rehabil Med · Sep 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of single-session dual-tDCS before physical therapy on lower-limb performance in sub-acute stroke patients: A randomized sham-controlled crossover study.
Anodal stimulation increases cortical excitably, whereas cathodal stimulation decreases cortical excitability. Dual transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS; anodal over the lesioned hemisphere, cathodal over the non-lesioned hemisphere) was found to enhance motor learning. The corresponding tDCS-induced changes were reported to reduce the inhibition exerted by the unaffected hemisphere on the affected hemisphere and restore the normal balance of the interhemispheric inhibition. ⋯ Muscle strength was unchanged in both limbs for both real and sham groups. Our results suggest that a single session of dual-tDCS before conventional physical therapy could improve sit-to-stand performance, which appeared to be improved over conventional physical therapy alone. However, strength performance was not increased after the combination treatment.
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Ann Phys Rehabil Med · May 2018
Number of raised steps: A tool to assess brief and intense effort involving anaerobic metabolism.
Although the initial anaerobic component of exercise adaptation is unavoidable, no specific functional test is available for use in routine non-sporting practice to evaluate it. ⋯ SFST is feasible, well tolerated, reliable and responsive to explore a brief exercise involving anaerobic metabolism at submaximal intensity. The number of steps taken in 1minute seems a suitable parameter for practical application.
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Ann Phys Rehabil Med · Mar 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialFive-day course of paired associative stimulation fails to improve motor function in stroke patients.
Non-invasive brain stimulation has been studied as a therapeutic adjunct for upper-limb recovery in patients with stroke. One type of stimulation, paired associative stimulation (PAS), has effects on plasticity in both patients and healthy participants. Lasting several hours, these effects are reversible and topographically specific. ⋯ We failed to induce a lasting effect with PAS in the present study. PAS does not seem to be the main method for post-stroke brain stimulation. Perhaps recruitment of patients could be more selective, possibly targeting those with a wide altered ipsilesional corticomotor pathway.