The Clinical Impact of Electrical Stimulation on Abnormal Tone During Gait for Individuals With Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report.

PURPOSE: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that often presents with altered muscle tone affecting function. The purpose of this case report is to describe the clinical application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to manage the impact of muscle tone during gait in 2 children with CP.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: Two children with CP, who are gait, received TENS to manage spasticity and dystonia. Gait was analyzed using a two-dimensional gait analysis with and without TENS. Results demonstrated medium and large minimally clinically important differences in velocity, cadence, and stride length with TENS.

CONCLUSION

Using TENS parameters may be a modality to manage tone and improve gait for children with CP. A larger study is needed to determine the effects of TENS.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinicians may use TENS on spastic or dystonic muscles as an intervention to improve gait for children with CP.