THE EFFECTS OF FUNCTIONAL ELECTRICAL STIMULATION-ASSISTED BICYCLE ERGOMETRY IN PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME.(CRPS)

A total of 44 patients who developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Type 1 in the upper extremity following a cerebrovascular event, diagnosed according to the Modified Budapest Criteria, and who were admitted to an inpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation program were included in the study. All participants met the inclusion criteria and provided written informed consent after being fully informed about the study procedures and treatment protocol. The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice guidelines.

Demographic data including age, sex, height, weight, educational level, occupation, marital status, and comorbid systemic diseases were recorded for all participants. Patients with a Mini-Mental State Examination score of 23 or higher were included in the study. All participants were evaluated at baseline (pre-treatment), at the end of treatment (4th week), and at the 12th week.

Clinical assessments included evaluation of pain, edema, spasticity, range of motion, motor function, activities of daily living, and quality of life of the upper extremity. The following outcome measures were used:

Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Self-report Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (S-LANSS) Volumetric Measurement Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) Range of Motion (ROM) Measurement Brunnstrom Motor Staging CRPS Severity Score (CSS) Functional Independence Measure (FIM) Stroke Impact Scale (SIS)

Eligible patients were randomized into two groups using the sealed envelope method. Both groups received a conventional neurorehabilitation program consisting of whirlpool therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), contrast bath, and therapeutic exercises.

In addition to conventional therapy, patients in the intervention group received upper extremity functional electrical stimulation (FES)-assisted cycling using a cycle ergometer. This intervention was applied for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for a total of 4 weeks.

The groups were defined as follows:

Group 1: Exercise + TENS + whirlpool therapy + contrast bath + FES-assisted cycling ergometer Group 2: Exercise + TENS + whirlpool therapy + contrast bath

Inclusion criteria

History of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke Patients who experienced their first stroke within the last 1 year Diagnosis of upper extremity CRPS Type 1 according to the Modified Budapest Criteria No cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥ 23) Provision of written informed consent by the patient or their legal guardian

Exclusion criteria

Unstable medical condition Presence of visual impairment Presence of shoulder subluxation or contracture in the upper extremity and hand joints History of upper extremity injections within the last 6 months (e.g., suprascapular nerve block, intra-articular shoulder injections, hand/wrist intra-articular or peri-tendinous injections) History of systemic steroid use within the last 6 months Use of neuropathic pain medications within the last 6 months, including tricyclic antidepressants and gabapentinoids such as gabapentin or pregabalin Presence of neglect syndrome Presence of another etiology causing upper extremity pain Presence of another neurological disorder (e.g., progressive central nervous system disease, peripheral neuropathy) Presence of concomitant rheumatologic or orthopedic conditions in the upper extremity or hand (e.g., inflammatory arthritis, cellulitis, osteomyelitis) Presence of active deep vein thrombosis or thrombophlebitis in the upper extremity Conditions characterized by pain, swelling, and edema of the extremity, such as chronic vascular disorders Presence of malignancy History of epilepsy Presence of aphasia Pregnancy or suspicion of pregnancy