Electrical Stimulation Case Study

The use of electrical stimulation has been used widely in physical therapy for many different reasons to treat and manage pain, joint limitations, spasticity and spasms, muscle disuse atrophy, circulatory deficits and muscle re-education. The purpose of this case report is to describe the efficacy of using a medium frequency alternating current (MFAC), a Russian stimulation, for muscle re-education and strengthening to the quadriceps femoris muscles to help improve the ability to perform sit to stand, locomotion and transfers in a patient with an incomplete spinal cord injury.
CASE DESCRIPTION and INTERVENTION: A 60 year old male with a C5 incomplete spinal cord injury with quadriparesis who received MFAC to his quadriceps to increase strength
There's even more evidence that when electrical stimulation is performed along with progressive resistive exercises can improve strength.2 Due to inactivity, muscle atrophy will develop. With the appropriate exercises and muscle stimulation, more muscle fiber recruitment can lead to increase in strength. People with spinal cord injuries may or may never be able to walk again, depending on the level of injury, and unless assisted. Use of assistive devices, bracing and robotics makes this possible. This case describes the efficacy of using a MFAC or Russian muscle stimulation to the quadriceps to a patient who has an incomplete spinal cord injury at the C5 level with
His final diagnosis at hospital discharge was an incomplete C5 spinal cord injury with quadriparesis. His physical therapy diagnosis is Musculoskeletal Pattern F: Impaired Joint Mobility, Motor Function, Muscle Performance, and Range of Motion, and Reflex Integrity Associated With Spinal Disorders AND Neuromuscular Pattern H: Impaired Motor Function, Peripheral Nerve Integrity, and Sensory Integrity Associated With Nonprogressive disorders of the Spinal Cord.3 He initially had an accident about 12 years when he fell into a ditch which went untreated resulting to a bilateral flexion contracture of the third, fourth and fifth fingers. He then developed a progressive lower extremity spasms, weakness, numbness and the inability to ambulate six months ago which then led to his current condition. He wants to be able to walk again and return home with his family. Before the neck surgery, the patient was living independently without use of assistive to device to ambulate. He is retired and was on disability. He already completed a comprehensive physical rehabilitation for one month at the Rehab Institute and another eight weeks of PT and OT while in a nursing home for general strengthening, gait, ADL(activities of daily living) training. He did not receive any type of electrical