Trial reportFrontiers in rehabilitation sciences2026
Feasibility and safety of multi-field functional electrical stimulation for distal upper-limb rehabilitation after subacute stroke: a randomised controlled feasibility trial.
Trial report in Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04992910 (Multi-field Functional Electrical Stimulation for Distal Upper-limb Rehabilitation After Subacute Stroke), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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
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Multi-field Functional Electrical Stimulation for Distal Upper-limb Rehabilitation After Subacute Stroke: a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is recommended for upper-limb rehabilitation after stroke but remains underused in routine clinical practice. Multi-field FES may simplify clinical application and improve selective muscle activation, although evidence generated under real-world rehabilitation conditions remains limited. Objective: To assess the feasibility, usability, and safety of multi-field FES for distal upper-limb rehabilitation after subacute stroke and to generate preliminary effect estimates to inform a future definitive trial. Methods: We conducted a single-centre, parallel-group, randomised controlled feasibility trial with blinded outcome assessment. Sixteen adults with subacute stroke (≤6 months) and unilateral upper-limb impairment were randomised 1:1 to FES-assisted therapy or conventional rehabilitation ( Results: Of 20 participants screened between April 2022 and August 2023, 16 were recruited and randomised (8 per group) and received 12 sessions of 40 minutes over 6 weeks. All participants completed the study, resulting in 100% retention and adherence (16/16; 95% CI 79.4-100% for both outcomes). In the FES group, usability and motivation scores were high, indicating good acceptability of the intervention. Two FES participants experienced minor, transient skin erythema after electrode application; no serious adverse events were observed. Exploratory analyses yielded point estimates that favoured the FES group for distal upper-limb motor outcomes; however, confidence intervals were wide and findings should not be interpreted as evidence of clinical efficacy. Conclusion: Multi-field FES for distal upper-limb rehabilitation after subacute stroke was feasible and well accepted in routine clinical practice, with no serious adverse events observed. These findings provide preliminary data to support the design of future adequately powered efficacy trials. Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04992910, identifier: NCT04992910.
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