Background: Evidence supports peroneal nerve functional electrical stimulation (FES) as an effective alternative to ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) for treatment of foot drop poststroke, but few randomized controlled comparisons exist.
Objective: To compare changes in gait and quality of life (QoL) between FES and an AFO in individuals with foot drop poststroke.
Methods: In a multicenter randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT01087957) with unblinded outcome assessments, 495 Medicare-eligible individuals at least 6 months poststroke wore FES or an AFO for 6 months. Primary endpoints: 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), a composite of the Mobility, Activities of Daily Living/Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and Social Participation subscores on the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), and device-related serious adverse event rate. Secondary endpoints: 6-Minute Walk Test, GaitRite Functional Ambulation Profile (FAP), Modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile (mEFAP), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go, individual SIS domains, and Stroke-Specific Quality of Life measures. Multiply imputed intention-to-treat analyses were used with primary endpoints tested for noninferiority and secondary endpoints tested for superiority.
Results: A total of 399 subjects completed the study. FES proved noninferior to the AFO for all primary endpoints. Both the FES and AFO groups improved significantly on the 10MWT. Within the FES group, significant improvements were found for SIS composite score, total mFEAP score, individual Floor and Obstacle course time scores of the mEFAP, FAP, and BBS, but again, no between-group differences were found.
Conclusions: Use of FES is equivalent to the AFO. Further studies should examine whether FES enables better performance in tasks involving functional mobility, activities of daily living, and balance.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1545968314521007 | DOI Listing |
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Institute of Medical Teaching and Medical Education Research, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
Background: Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are a widely recognized and accepted method to assess clinical competencies but are often resource-intensive.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR)-based station (VRS) compared with a traditional physical station (PHS) in an already established curricular OSCE.
Methods: Fifth-year medical students participated in an OSCE consisting of 10 stations.
Background: Young adults (15-24 years old) living with HIV may experience pressure both from HIV infection and social role change problems, resulting in a series of psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. Effective psychological intervention can improve their mental health and quality of life.
Objective: The study aims to explore the effectiveness of VR-based mental intervention on young adults living with HIV.
PLoS One
January 2025
Center of Excellence in Probiotics, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Modern treatment, a healthy diet, and physical activity routines lower the risk factors for metabolic syndrome; however, this condition is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality worldwide. This investigation involved a randomized controlled trial, double-blind, parallel study. Fifty-eight participants with risk factors of metabolic syndrome according to the inclusion criteria were randomized into two groups and given probiotics (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MSMC39-1 and Bifidobacterium animalis TA-1) (n = 31) or a placebo (n = 27).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain.
Background: Motor imagery is the mental representation of a movement without physical execution. When motor imagery is performed to enhance motor learning and performance, participants must reach a temporal congruence between the imagined and actual movement execution. Identifying factors that can influence this capacity could enhance the effectiveness of motor imagery programs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Sports Engineering of General Administration of Sport of China, Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
Purpose: Previous studies have demonstrated significant biomechanical differences between individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and healthy controls during the Y-balance test. This study aimed to examine the effects of kinesio taping (KT) on lower limb biomechanical characteristics during the Y-balance anterior reach task in individuals with CAI.
Methods: A total of 30 participants were recruited, comprising 15 individuals with CAI and 15 healthy controls.
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