Rehabilitative effects of Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation on limb function in stroke patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: We conducted a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of TENS in the rehabilitation of limb motor dysfunction following stroke.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

We collected data from three databases, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, covering the earliest available date to April 2024, with a focus on randomized controlled trials that utilized TENS as an intervention for limb motor dysfunction after stroke, and extracted the main evaluation indicators before and after treatment, including the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Composite Spasticity Scale (CSS). Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1 software.

RESULTS

This systematic review included a total of 513 participants from 10 studies. The analysis revealed that TENS was found to be statistically more effective than sham TENS in improving upper limb function, with a standardized mean difference (MD) of 3.58 (95% CI: 0.88, 6.27).

CONCLUSION

TENS has shown potential in improving limb motor function in post-stroke patients based on FMA-UE, FIM, and CSS scores. However, variations in stimulation frequency, sites, treatment schedules, and devices make the evidence insufficient for its reliable clinical use.

UNLABELLED: Registration: CRD42023421759.