No outcomes evaluated the effect on participation restrictions .
NMES , as an adjunct to current rehabilitation practice s in critically ill patients , may maintain muscle strength .
OBJECTIVE To review , in conformance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review s and Meta-Analyses guidelines , the totality of evidence for the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation ( NMES ) in the critical care setting , when compared with usual care , under all domains of the World Health Organisation , International Classification of Functioning , Disability and Health ( ICF ) framework .
Electrical Muscle Stimulation: An Effective Form of Exercise and Early Mobilization to Preserve Muscle Strength in Critically Ill Patients
Purpose . This is a secondary analysis of previously published data to investigate the effects of electrical muscle stimulation ( EMS ) on strength of various muscle groups in critically ill patients . Methods . One hundred forty-two consecutive patients , with APACHE II score ≥ 13 , were r and omly assigned to the EMS or the control group . EMS sessions were applied daily on vastus lateralis , vastus medialis , and peroneus longus of both lower extremities . Various muscle groups were evaluated with the Medical Research Council ( MRC ) scale for muscle strength . H and grip strength assessment was also employed . Results . Twenty four patients in the EMS group and 28 patients in the control group were finally evaluated .  EMS patients achieved higher MRC scores than controls ( P ≤ 0.05 ) in wrist flexion , hip flexion , knee extension , and ankle dorsiflexion . Collectively , the EMS group performed higher ( P < 0.01 ) in the legs and overall . H and grip strength correlated ( P ≤ 0.01 ) with the upper and lower extremities ' muscle strength and the overall MRC scores . Conclusions . EMS has beneficial effects on the strength of critically ill patients mainly affecting muscle groups stimulated , while it may also affect muscle groups not involved presenting itself as a potential effective means of muscle strength preservation and early mobilization in this patient population
No outcomes evaluated the effect on participation restrictions .
NMES , as an adjunct to current rehabilitation practice s in critically ill patients , may maintain muscle strength .
OBJECTIVE To review , in conformance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review s and Meta-Analyses guidelines , the totality of evidence for the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation ( NMES ) in the critical care setting , when compared with usual care , under all domains of the World Health Organisation , International Classification of Functioning , Disability and Health ( ICF ) framework .