The effect of electromyographically triggered electric muscle stimulation was evaluated in 41 consecutive postcerebral vascular accident patients. We classified the patients into 3 groups according to the duration from onset to the start of the treatment. The time from onset of the 3 groups were less than 3 months(group I), 3 to 6 months(group II), more than 6 months(group III). The patients were treated for 6 months and the effect of the treatment was evaluated for quantitative EMG interference of extensor digitorum communis muscle, active range of motion of midcarpal joint of the hand, spasticity of long finger flexor. To evaluate the effect of early treatment, we compared the effect of treatment with age, sex and duration matching control group. The control group consisted of 16 postcerebral vascular accident patients. The early treated group(group I) showed more improvement than the control group in all 3 evaluation parameters. Group I showed more improvement than group II and group III. Group III improved especially in the spasticity of long finger flexor. All patients who showed improvement at 6 months of follow up improved within 2 months since the start of treatment, which means for the evaluation of the effect of treatment follow up evaluation must be conducted after 2 months of treatment. The factors for good treatment response were early treatment, Brunnstrom stage of the hand and somatosensory evoked potential of median nerve. |