Eletroestimulação funcional na amplitude de movimento de dorsiflexão passiva em crianças hemiplégicas

Abstract

The Hemiplegia is characterized by motor deficit and unilateral spasticity, common in plantar flexor muscles of hemiplegic children which cause a decrease in range of motion (ROM) of dorsiflexion. The Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) which was being used in children showed effectiveness in cases of hemiplegia with a reduction of spasticity. This study aims to examine the ROM of passive dorsiflexion in hemiplegic children with FES. It made a cross-sectional study in which ten patients (6 females and 4 males with the average age of 7.90 years) were submitted to an application of FES. With the goniometry, passive ROM was measured before (13,30 ± 4,67) and after (18,40 ± 3,10) the use of electrical stimulation and a considerable increase of ROM of passive dorsiflexion was noticed (p ≤ 0,05). So this study showed that when FES was applied to the anterior tibial muscle significant improvements resulted in hemiplegic children and this movement can be considered as an adjunct in the treatment of these patients.