Objective
To investigate the effects of combination functional electrical stimulation (FES) and standing frame training on standing balance in stroke patients.
Methods
Patients who had hemiparesis and postural instability after stroke were randomly assigned to one of the two groups; study group underwent FES on the quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle simultaneously with standing balance training. The control group received standing frame training and FES separately. Both the groups received their respective therapies for 3 weeks. Stability index in Biodex Balance master system, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), manual muscle test, the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index, and Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination were used to evaluate the effects of the treatment.
Results
In total, 30 patients were recruited to the study group and 30 to the control group. Three weeks after treatment, both the groups showed improvement in postural stability scores and physical and cognitive functions. When changes in postural stability were compared between the groups, the study group showed more significant improvement than the control group with regards to the scores of BBS and the stability indices.
Conclusion
In this study, we found the therapeutic effectiveness of combined therapy of FES and standing frame in subacute stroke patients. The presented protocol is proposed as time-saving and can be applied easily in the clinical setting. Thus, the proposed combined therapy could be a useful method for improving standing balance in subacute stroke patients.

Citations

• RESNA and CTF position on the application of supported standing devices: Current state of the literature
  Cara E. Masselink, Ashley Detterbeck, Nicole B. LaBerge, Ginny Paleg
  Assistive Technology.2025; 37(4): 257.     CrossRef
• The role of technologies with biofeedback in afterstroke muscle strength and muscle tone correction: an open-label randomized controlled prospective study
  M. S. Filippov, I. V. Pogonchenkova, E. V. Kostenko, A. M. Shchikota, L. V. Petrova
  Medical alphabet.2025; (33): 7.     CrossRef
• An Iterative Learning Controller for a Switched Cooperative Allocation Strategy During Sit-to-Stand Tasks with a Hybrid Exoskeleton
  Vahidreza Molazadeh, Qiang Zhang, Xuefeng Bao, Nitin Sharma
  IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology.2022; 30(3): 1021.     CrossRef
• Therapeutic effectiveness of a single exercise session combined with WalkAide functional electrical stimulation in post-stroke patients: a crossover design study
  VivianeRostirola Elsner, Lucieli Trevizol, Isadora de Leon, Marcos da Silva, Thayná Weiss, Milena Braga, Daniela Pochmann, AmandaStolzenberg Blembeel, Caroline Dani, Elenice Boggio
  Neural Regeneration Research.2021; 16(5): 805.     CrossRef
• The Effects of Electrical Stimulation of Lower Extremity Muscles on Balance in Stroke Patients: A Systematic Review of Literatures
  Zeinab Mahmoudi, Roghayeh Mohammadi, Tahereh Sadeghi, Gita Kalbasi
  Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases.2021; 30(8): 105793.     CrossRef
• Restoring function in progressive multiple sclerosis
  Michelle Ploughman
  The Lancet Neurology.2019; 18(8): 711.     CrossRef

Objective
To evaluate the effects of transcutaneous elec-trical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied at lower extre-mity for standing balance in patients with hemiplegia. Method: Twenty-two hemiplegic patients were tested while standing on balance trainer under eight stimulation modes (No TENS, bilateral TENS, hemiplegic TENS, and una-ffected TENS. These four conditions were applied both with and without vision). All patients were able to stand inde-pendently more than five minutes. TENS was applied with pulse width 200µs, frequency of 100 Hz, amplitude set at the sensory detection threshold of each patients. TENS was applied thirty seconds for each stimulation modes, and res-ting period was 10 minutes. Postural sway was determined during the testing period by the sum of anterior-posterior (AP) center of pressure (COP) sway, medio-lateral (ML) COP sway, and total sum of COP sway. Also postural sway was determined by proportion of time of COP in three circles, which semidiameters are 10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm each. Results: When patients were applied with TENS eyes closed at the unaffected lower extremity, AP, ML, and total sum of COP sway decreased significantly. Conclusion: In hemiplegic patients with independent standing, TENS application at the unaffected leg over five minutes can be helpful standing balance enhancement. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2009; 33: 159-164)

Objective
To examine the validity of the fuctional reach test (FRT) for evaluation of standing balance in hemiplegic patients. Method: Twenty three hemiplegic patients who were capable of standing without assistive devices were assessed on the FRT only with intact upper limb, the one-legged stance, the timed up and go test (TUG), the 10 meter walking time (10 mWT), the 'Hauser' ambulation index (AI), and the standing balance of Bohannon. Results: The forward reach of FRT demonstrated significant correlation with the TUG and the 10 mWT (p＜0.01), but no significant relationship with the one-legged stance, standing balance of Bohannon and AI. Conclusion: The forward reach of FRT may be simple and useful tool for assessing the clinical balance function and reflecting gait ability and fall-down risk in hemiplegic patients. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 647-651)