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Comparison of Motor Relearning Program and Electric Muscle Stimulation in Subacute Stroke Patients

NCT07720622 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 36

Last updated 2026-07-22

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with upper limb motor impairment being a common consequence that limits independence in activities of daily living. The Motor Relearning Program (MRP) is a task-oriented rehabilitation approach designed to improve motor recovery through repetitive functional practice. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) may further enhance muscle activation and facilitate motor recovery when combined with conventional rehabilitation.

The purpose of this single-blinded randomized controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of the Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation versus the Motor Relearning Program alone in improving upper limb function in individuals with subacute stroke. Thirty-six eligible participants with subacute stroke will be randomly allocated into two groups. Group A will receive MRP together with EMS, while Group B will receive the same MRP without EMS. Both groups will undergo treatment for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks.

Upper limb motor recovery and muscle tone will be evaluated at baseline and after the intervention using the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke (MESUPES). The findings of this study may help determine whether adding EMS to a structured Motor Relearning Program provides greater improvements in upper limb function than MRP alone in individuals with subacute stroke.

Conditions

  • Subacute Stroke

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Motor Relearning Program

Participants will receive a structured Motor Relearning Program consisting of repetitive task-oriented upper limb activities, including reaching, grasping, object manipulation, lifting, puzzle arrangement, and functional daily living tasks. Therapy will be provided for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks, with progressive increases in task difficulty according to participant performance.

DEVICE

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Electrical Muscle Stimulation will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles, including the deltoid, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, wrist flexors and extensors, and finger flexors and extensors, using surface electrodes for 10 minutes during each treatment session. Stimulation intensity will be adjusted to produce visible, pain-free muscle contractions according to participant tolerance. EMS will be administered in combination with the Motor Relearning Program, 5 days per week for 6 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Montiha Azeem

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Laraib Gull, MSPTN · The University of Lahore, Lahore

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
40 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-09-06
Primary Completion
2026-09-06
Completion
2026-09-06

Countries

  • Pakistan

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07720622 on ClinicalTrials.gov