Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Combined with Conventional Physiotherapy on Motor Recovery in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Background: Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with ischemic stroke accounting
for the majority of cases. Motor impairment, spasticity, and reduced functional independence are common
consequences that negatively affect quality of life. Conventional physiotherapy is widely used in stroke rehabilitation,
while Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) has been proposed as an adjunctive intervention to enhance motor
recovery.
Objective: To compare the effectiveness of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation combined with conventional
physiotherapy versus conventional physiotherapy alone in improving motor recovery among patients with acute
ischemic stroke.
Methods: A comparative study was conducted on 50 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Participants were divided
into two groups: NMES with conventional physiotherapy (n=25) and conventional physiotherapy alone (n=25).
Outcome measures included the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) for motor recovery, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)
for spasticity, and Barthel Index (BI) for functional independence. Assessments were performed before and after the
intervention period. Statistical analysis was carried out to evaluate within-group and between-group differences.
Results: Significant improvement was observed within both groups following intervention. In the NMES group, FMA
scores improved from 30.7 ± 3.5 to 38.6 ± 6.2, BI scores improved from 40.3 ± 3.9 to 48.8 ± 5.0, and MAS scores
decreased from 2.3 ± 0.49 to 1.8 ± 0.41. In the conventional physiotherapy group, FMA scores improved from 30.6 ±
3.5 to 37.6 ± 5.8, BI scores improved from 39.6 ± 3.5 to 49.0 ± 6.5, and MAS scores decreased from 2.3 ± 0.4 to 1.6 ±
0.5. However, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in post-intervention FMA,
BI, or MAS scores (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Both NMES combined with conventional physiotherapy and conventional physiotherapy alone were
effective in improving motor recovery, reducing spasticity, and enhancing functional independence in patients with
acute ischemic stroke. However, the addition of NMES did not demonstrate a statistically significant advantage over
conventional physiotherapy alone.