Trial reportJournal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation2024
Effects of flexor reflex stimulation on gait aspects in stroke patients: randomized clinical trial.
Trial report in Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Stimulation of the withdrawal reflex in gait training after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Artificial organs · 2025Pooled it
- Swing-Phase Plantar Stimulation and Gait Parameters in Patients With Diabetic Neuropathy: A Preliminary Study.Foot & ankle orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Activation of the flexor reflex for gait training in chronic stroke patients.Frontiers in neurologyArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGait deficits are very common after stroke and therefore an important aspect in poststroke rehabilitation. A currently little used method in gait rehabilitation after stroke is the activation of the flexor reflex (FR) by electrical stimulation of the sole of foot while walking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of FR stimulation on gait performance and gait parameters in participants with stroke within a single session of flexor reflex stimulation using Incedo™.
methodsTwenty-five participants with subacute (n = 14) and chronic (n = 11) stroke were enrolled in the study. Motor functions were tested with a 10-m walk test (10mWT), a 2-min walk test (2minWT), and a gait analysis. These tests were performed with and without Incedo™ within a single session in randomized order.
resultsIn the 10mWT, a significant difference was found between walking with Incedo™ (15.0 ± 8.5 s) versus without Incedo™ (17.0 ± 11.4 s, p = 0.01). Similarly, the 2minWT showed a significant improvement with Incedo™ use (90.0 ± 36.4 m) compared to without Incedo™ (86.3 ± 36.8 m, p = 0.03). These results indicate that while the improvements are statistically significant, they are modest and should be considered in the context of their clinical relevance. The gait parameters remained unchanged except for the step length. A subgroup analysis indicated that participants with subacute and chronic stroke responded similarly to the stimulation. There was a correlation between the degree of response to electrostimulation while walking and degree of improvement in 2minWT (r = 0.50, p = 0.01).
conclusionsThis study is the first to examine FR activation effects in chronic stroke patients and suggests that stimulation effects are independent of the time since stroke. A larger controlled clinical trial is warranted that addresses issues as the necessary number of therapeutical sessions and for how long stimulation-induced improvements outlast the treatment period.
trial registrationThe trial was retrospectively registered in German Clinical Trials Register. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: DRKS00021457. Date of registration: 29 June 2020.
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