Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review.

Background and

Objectives

Brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI) is a peripheral nerve injury occurring during birth that may result in upper-extremity weakness and functional impairment. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on motor function, muscle strength, range of motion, and upper-extremity function in children with BPBI. Materials and

Methods

This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO. PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PEDro, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 5 May 2026. Only randomized controlled trials were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and risk of bias was evaluated using the RoB 2 tool.

Results

Seven randomized controlled trials involving 197 participants were included. Several studies reported improvements in shoulder abduction, elbow flexion, wrist extension, muscle strength, and motor function following NMES compared with conventional therapy. The combination of NMES and constraint-induced movement therapy demonstrated favorable outcomes in functional performance. However, substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies regarding participant characteristics, NMES parameters, treatment duration, and outcome measures. The certainty of evidence ranged from low to very low.

Conclusions

Current evidence suggests that NMES may serve as a potential adjunct to conventional rehabilitation in children with BPBI. However, given the low to very low certainty of the evidence, high risk of bias, and substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity among the included studies, definitive clinical recommendations cannot currently be made. Future well-designed randomized controlled trials using standardized protocols, consistent outcome measures, and longer follow-up periods are warranted.