2026 Volume 45 Issue 3 Pages 401-404
This pilot intervention study used a B-A design to treat shoulder subluxation in patients with severe upper limb paralysis following stroke. We examined the immediate and sustained effects of adding electrical stimulation for 3 days during 1 week of occupational therapy, followed by a 1-day washout period and 3 days free of electrical stimulation. The electrical stimulation targeted the middle deltoid muscle, and shoulder subluxation was assessed based on the acromion-greater tuberosity (AGT) distance, using ultrasonography. The median AGT distance decreased from 33 to 27 mm (approximately half the finger width) following the electrical stimulation, but this effect was halved 3 days after the stimulation was stopped. These results suggest that electrical stimulation during occupational therapy is effective for managing shoulder subluxation in patients recovering from stroke, as evidenced through objective ultrasonographic evaluation. Future crossover studies are warranted to validate these preliminary results.
