Therapeutic management of shoulder in hemiplegic conditions

Shoulder subluxation is a most significant problem in post stroke hemiplegics, resulting in pain and loss of function. Surface electrical stimulation was found to reduce existing subluxation, but showed no significant improvement in motor function. The main purpose of this study was to determine the short term effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and motor activity eliciting exercises in preventing the occurrence of shoulder pain and subluxation and in enhancing early shoulder mobility. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and motor activity eliciting exercises have short term effect in preventing the occurrence of post stroke shoulder pain and subluxation and also in improving shoulder motor function.