Therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) for the treatment of disuse muscle atrophy in cerebral palsy.

Abstract

Disuse muscle atrophy is a significant component of the long-term disability in cerebral palsy and other childhood neurologic disorders. Traditional methods of electrical stimulation, which include neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and functional electrical stimulation (FES), produce active muscle contraction to strengthen and produce functional gain. Therapeutic electrical stimulation (TES) is a new form of stimulation that uses subcontraction stimulus to promote muscle growth. The presumed mechanism is increased blood flow during a time of trophic hormone secretion during sleep. The TES technique is considered a technologic adjunct to ongoing therapy. TES-stimulated muscle growth requires that ongoing therapy be conducted to strengthen the muscle and to channel the added strength into useful function.