Effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on upper extremity motor recovery in the early period after stroke: a preliminary study

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Recovery of poststroke upper-extremity motor function is frequently incomplete; with approximately two thirds of people having profoundly impaired motor function and are unable to perform functional tasks or activities of daily living by 6 months poststroke. A novel rehabilitation strategy is the use of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) that enhances plastic changes in both perilesional and remote regions. rTMS is a new rehabilitation strategy that which is increasingly being used in stroke rehabilitation. Especially, combination of rTMS therapy with other rehabilitation techniques is appealing. The results of this randomized controlled preliminary study showed that LF-rTMS and LF-rTMS+NMES treatments significantly enhanced motor recovery in the paretic hand when compared with the control group

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