The Effect of Superimposed Electrical Stimulation on Sitting Balance, Respiratory Functions, and Abdominal Muscle Thickness in Complete Spinal Cord Injury

NCT06104982 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: AnkaraCHBilkent-PMR-DRHENY-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 34
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of SiFES (superimposed functional electrical stimulation) on sitting balance in patients with complete Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) compared to exercise alone. Additionally, the study aims to investigate improvements in respiratory functions and changes in abdominal muscle thickness measured by ultrasonography (USG) following SiFES treatment. The fundamental questions that investigators want to answer are as follows:

• \[question 1\]: "Does abdominal SiFES therapy improve sitting balance in patients with complete SCI?"
• \[question 2\]: "Does abdominal SiFES therapy improve respiratory functions in patients with complete SCI?"

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injury Thoracic

Keywords

spinal cord injury; abdominal muscle; electrical stimulation; sitting balance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT) (reaching of forward, right, left)

  The mFRT, which is a validated and reliable tool for measuring sitting balance in patients with SCI was used in this study. Before the investigators conducted the test, the participant was positioned in an upright sitting posture in a wheelchair. The investigators took measurements in three directions: forward reach (using the dominant extremity), right reach, and left reach, both before and after the treatment, for both groups. During the modified functional reach test, the participants reached out as far as possible in the forward, right, and left directions. The investigators repeated the test three times, and there was a 5-minute interval between each repetition. The investigators recorded the best measurement out of the three trials in centimeters.

  Baseline - week 4

Secondary Outcomes (10)

• Abdominal muscle thickness, the thicknesses of the right and left rectus abdominis (RA), obliques externus (OE), obliques internus (OI), and transversus abdominis (TA)

  Baseline - week 4

• Trunk Control Test (TCT),

  Baseline - week 4

• Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)

  Baseline - week 4

• Forced vital capacity (FVC)

  Baseline - week 4

• FEV1/FVC

  Baseline - week 4

Study Arms (2)

SiFES group

EXPERIMENTAL

The investigators applied FES to the abdominal muscles of the SiFES group bilaterally, using 2 units of NeuroTrac MyoPlus Pro single-channel electromyography biofeedback electrotherapy devices. The investigators conducted electrical stimulation for a total of 10 minutes per session, with 5 minutes dedicated to bilateral rectus abdominis (RA) and 5 minutes to bilateral obliques externus (OE), obliques internus (OI), and transversus abdominis (TA) muscles three days a week, a period of four weeks. The investigators triggered the initial contraction of the abdominal muscles by instructing the patient to slightly flex their head before the application of electrical stimulation. During this process, the contraction was detected by the surface EMG present in the FES device, and the abdominal muscles were stimulated with electrical impulses.

Device: NeuroTrac MyoPlus Pro single-channel electromyography biofeedback electrotherapy devices

Control group (TE group)

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The investigators administered isometric strengthening to the TE groups, three days a week, with three sets per session, a period of four weeks.

Other: Isometric strengthening exercises

Interventions

NeuroTrac MyoPlus Pro single-channel electromyography biofeedback electrotherapy devices DEVICE

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is applied to intact second motor neurons and target muscles of patients with SCI and provides functional and therapeutic benefits in neurological rehabilitation. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a type of NMES that is used for electrical stimulation during exercises such as crunches. Newly used SiFES is a method in which the biofeedback-enabled FES device detects muscle contractions, and this electromyography (EMG) signal triggers the muscle stimulant mode of the device.

SiFES group

Isometric strengthening exercises OTHER

Isometric abdominal strengthening exercises are part of the standard rehabilitation program for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

Control group (TE group)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• being between 18-65 years old
• having a minimum of 3 months since the spinal cord injury
• having complete paraplegia according American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) disorder scale A due to traumatic spinal cord injury
• being able to sit unsupported in a wheelchair

You may not qualify if:

• malignancy,
• epilepsy, heart failure,
• intracardiac defibrillator (ICD)
• an open wound in the application area

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ankara City Hospital Bilkent: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ankara City Hospital

Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (24)

• Arsh A, Darain H, Rahman MU, Ullah I, Shakil-Ur-Rehman S. Reliability of modified functional reach test in the assessment of balance function in people with spinal cord injury: A systematic review. J Pak Med Assoc. 2021 Aug;71(8):2040-2044. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.1276.

  PMID: 34418026 BACKGROUND

• McCaughey EJ, Borotkanics RJ, Gollee H, Folz RJ, McLachlan AJ. Abdominal functional electrical stimulation to improve respiratory function after spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spinal Cord. 2016 Sep;54(9):628-39. doi: 10.1038/sc.2016.31. Epub 2016 Apr 12.

  PMID: 27067658 BACKGROUND

• Hascakova-Bartova R, Dinant JF, Parent A, Ventura M. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation of completely paralyzed abdominal muscles in spinal cord-injured patients: a pilot study. Spinal Cord. 2008 Jun;46(6):445-50. doi: 10.1038/sj.sc.3102166. Epub 2008 Jan 29.

  PMID: 18227852 BACKGROUND

• Gater DR Jr, Dolbow D, Tsui B, Gorgey AS. Functional electrical stimulation therapies after spinal cord injury. NeuroRehabilitation. 2011;28(3):231-48. doi: 10.3233/NRE-2011-0652. No abstract available.

  PMID: 21558629 BACKGROUND

• Cheng PT, Chen CL, Wang CM, Chung CY. Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation on cough capacity and pulmonary function in patients with acute cervical cord injury. J Rehabil Med. 2006 Jan;38(1):32-6. doi: 10.1080/16501970510043387.

  PMID: 16548084 BACKGROUND

• McBain RA, Boswell-Ruys CL, Lee BB, Gandevia SC, Butler JE. Abdominal muscle training can enhance cough after spinal cord injury. Neurorehabil Neural Repair. 2013 Nov-Dec;27(9):834-43. doi: 10.1177/1545968313496324. Epub 2013 Jul 24.

  PMID: 23884017 BACKGROUND

• Bersch I, Friden J. Role of Functional Electrical Stimulation in Tetraplegia Hand Surgery. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Jun;97(6 Suppl):S154-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.01.035.

  PMID: 27233590 BACKGROUND

• Chandrasekaran S, Davis J, Bersch I, Goldberg G, Gorgey AS. Electrical stimulation and denervated muscles after spinal cord injury. Neural Regen Res. 2020 Aug;15(8):1397-1407. doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.274326.

  PMID: 31997798 BACKGROUND

• Paillard T, Noe F, Passelergue P, Dupui P. Electrical stimulation superimposed onto voluntary muscular contraction. Sports Med. 2005;35(11):951-66. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535110-00003.

  PMID: 16271009 BACKGROUND

• Amerijckx C, Goossens N, Pijnenburg M, Musarra F, van Leeuwen DM, Schmitz M, Janssens L. Influence of phase of respiratory cycle on ultrasound imaging of deep abdominal muscle thickness. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020 Apr;46:102105. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2019.102105. Epub 2019 Dec 27.

  PMID: 32217268 BACKGROUND

• Tahan N, Khademi-Kalantari K, Mohseni-Bandpei MA, Mikaili S, Baghban AA, Jaberzadeh S. Measurement of superficial and deep abdominal muscle thickness: an ultrasonography study. J Physiol Anthropol. 2016 Aug 23;35(1):17. doi: 10.1186/s40101-016-0106-6.

  PMID: 27553830 BACKGROUND

• Graham BL, Steenbruggen I, Miller MR, Barjaktarevic IZ, Cooper BG, Hall GL, Hallstrand TS, Kaminsky DA, McCarthy K, McCormack MC, Oropez CE, Rosenfeld M, Stanojevic S, Swanney MP, Thompson BR. Standardization of Spirometry 2019 Update. An Official American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society Technical Statement. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2019 Oct 15;200(8):e70-e88. doi: 10.1164/rccm.201908-1590ST.

  PMID: 31613151 BACKGROUND

• Lynch SM, Leahy P, Barker SP. Reliability of measurements obtained with a modified functional reach test in subjects with spinal cord injury. Phys Ther. 1998 Feb;78(2):128-33. doi: 10.1093/ptj/78.2.128.

  PMID: 9474105 BACKGROUND

• Quinzanos J, Villa AR, Flores AA, Perez R. Proposal and validation of a clinical trunk control test in individuals with spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord. 2014 Jun;52(6):449-54. doi: 10.1038/sc.2014.34. Epub 2014 Apr 8.

  PMID: 24710149 BACKGROUND

• Baek SO, Cho HK, Kim SY, Jones R, Cho YW, Ahn SH. Changes in deep lumbar stabilizing muscle thickness by transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation in patients with low back pain. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2017;30(1):121-127. doi: 10.3233/BMR-160723.

  PMID: 27341642 BACKGROUND

• Hwang UJ, Jung SH, Kim HA, Kim JH, Kwon OY. Effect of Abdominal Electrical Muscle Stimulation Training With and Without Superimposed Voluntary Muscular Contraction on Lumbopelvic Control. J Sport Rehabil. 2020 Nov 1;29(8):1137-1144. doi: 10.1123/jsr.2019-0348. Epub 2020 Jan 7.

  PMID: 31910395 BACKGROUND

• Wakahara T, Shiraogawa A. Effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation training on muscle size in collegiate track and field athletes. PLoS One. 2019 Nov 13;14(11):e0224881. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224881. eCollection 2019.

  PMID: 31721812 BACKGROUND

• Yablon CM, Hammer MR, Morag Y, Brandon CJ, Fessell DP, Jacobson JA. US of the Peripheral Nerves of the Lower Extremity: A Landmark Approach. Radiographics. 2016 Mar-Apr;36(2):464-78. doi: 10.1148/rg.2016150120. Epub 2016 Feb 12.

  PMID: 26871986 BACKGROUND

• Harvey LA, Fornusek C, Bowden JL, Pontifex N, Glinsky J, Middleton JW, Gandevia SC, Davis GM. Electrical stimulation plus progressive resistance training for leg strength in spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial. Spinal Cord. 2010 Jul;48(7):570-5. doi: 10.1038/sc.2009.191. Epub 2010 Jan 12.

  PMID: 20065991 BACKGROUND

• Kouwijzer I, van der Meer M, Janssen TWJ. Effects of trunk muscle activation on trunk stability, arm power, blood pressure and performance in wheelchair rugby players with a spinal cord injury. J Spinal Cord Med. 2022 Jul;45(4):605-613. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2020.1830249. Epub 2020 Nov 9.

  PMID: 33166206 BACKGROUND

• Herzog T, Swanenburg J, Hupp M, Mittaz Hager AG. Effect of indoor wheelchair curling training on trunk control of person with chronic spinal cord injury: a randomised controlled trial. Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2018 Mar 21;4:26. doi: 10.1038/s41394-018-0057-8. eCollection 2018.

  PMID: 29581893 BACKGROUND

• Sliwinski MM, Akselrad G, Alla V, Buan V, Kaemmerlen E. Community exercise programing and its potential influence on quality of life and functional reach for individuals with spinal cord injury. J Spinal Cord Med. 2020 May;43(3):358-363. doi: 10.1080/10790268.2018.1543104. Epub 2018 Nov 26.

  PMID: 30475164 BACKGROUND

• Masani K, Sin VW, Vette AH, Thrasher TA, Kawashima N, Morris A, Preuss R, Popovic MR. Postural reactions of the trunk muscles to multi-directional perturbations in sitting. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2009 Feb;24(2):176-82. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2008.12.001. Epub 2009 Jan 18.

  PMID: 19150744 BACKGROUND

• McLachlan AJ, McLean AN, Allan DB, Gollee H. Changes in pulmonary function measures following a passive abdominal functional electrical stimulation training program. J Spinal Cord Med. 2013 Mar;36(2):97-103. doi: 10.1179/2045772312Y.0000000031.

  PMID: 23809523 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Spinal Cord Injuries

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Spinal Cord Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Trauma, Nervous System; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Specialist Medical Doctor

Model Details: Investigators included thirty-four participants with thoracic complete SCI in this randomized controlled and prospective study. Investigators divided the participants into two equal groups, where one group received the biofeedback triggered superimposed functional electrical stimulation (SiFES) applied to the abdominal muscles, and the control group received transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TE) only, applied three times a week for four weeks.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 17, 2023
• First Posted: October 27, 2023
• Study Start: February 6, 2022
• Primary Completion: April 11, 2023
• Study Completion: April 11, 2023
• Last Updated: October 27, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-10

Locations

TU (1)