Electrical interferential current stimulation versus electrical acupuncture in management of hemiplegic shoulder pain and disability following ischemic stroke-a randomized clinical trial

Fariba Eslamian; Mehdi Farhoudi; Fatemeh Jahanjoo; Elyar Sadeghi-Hokmabadi; Parvin Darabi

doi:10.1186/s40945-019-0071-6

Authors

Fariba Eslamian Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Research Center, Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166615556, Iran
Mehdi Farhoudi Neuroscience Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Fatemeh Jahanjoo Epidemiology and biostatistics division, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Research center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Elyar Sadeghi-Hokmabadi Depratment of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Parvin Darabi Departement of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40945-019-0071-6

Keywords:

Ischemic stroke, Hemiplegic shoulder pain, Interferential current stimulation, Acupuncture, Electrical acupuncture, Disability

Abstract

Background: Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain (HSP) is among common complications occurring after stroke leading to disability. This study was conducted to compare the effects of electrical Interferential Current stimulation (IFC) and Electrical Acupuncture (EAC) on pain intensity, range of motion, and functional ability in patients with HSP and also comparing the two modalities regarding improvement of above indices. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 46 patients with HSP caused by ischemic stroke were recruited and assigned into 2 groups. Conventional exercise trainings were applied for both groups. Group A received additional IFC with medium frequency of 4000 HZ, and Group B received additional EAC two times a week for a total of 10 sessions. Pain severity, daily function, and shoulder Range of Motion (ROM) were evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and goniometry, respectively before and 5 weeks after the treatment. Results: Both groups showed relative improvement in pain severity, SPADI score, and its subscales, and also active and passive shoulder ROM after the treatment. However, IFC group compared to EAC group had higher mean changes of active ROM in abduction (28.00 ± 3.81 vs. 12.25 ± 2.39) and functional subscale of SPADI (11.45 ± 1.88 vs. 5.80 ± 1.66) after the treatment. On the contrary, EAC group showed higher percentage of VAS changes (46.14 ± 6.88 vs. 34.28 ± 5.52), indicating better pain improvement compared to IFC group. Other parameters did not show significant difference between two groups. Conclusion: Both IFC and EAC caused short term improvement in functional state, increased motion, and decreased pain in patients with HSP. Although pain control was more evident in acupuncture group, IFC resulted in better effects on function and active ROM of abduction, and seems to have higher efficacy.