Treatment with electrical stimulation of sensory nerves improves motor function and disability status in persons with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study

Declines in motor function are closely associated with decreases in sensory function in multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of our study was to assess the changes in motor function and disability status elicited by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to limb muscles of individuals with MS. Fifteen persons with MS and 11 age-matched healthy controls were evaluated before and after receiving 9 treatment sessions during which TENS was applied over the tibialis anterior and rectus femoris muscles of each leg, and over the median nerve and the thenar eminence of each hand. Each evaluation session involved completing two questionnaires (fatigue and walking limitations) and assessing walking performance (2-min test and 25-ft test), dynamic balance (chair-rise test), manual dexterity (grooved pegboard test), and muscle function of hands and legs (strength and force steadiness tests). The MS group exhibited improvements in the 25-ft test (P = 0.001), 2-min test (P = 0.002), chair-rise test (P = 0.008), grooved pegboard test (P = 0.008), and reductions in the self-reported levels of fatigue and walking limitation scores (P = 0.02, d = 0.52; P = 0.008, r = 0.50 respectively). In contrast, there were no statistically significant changes in the Control group. There were no significant changes in either muscle strength or force steadiness for either group. TENS elicited significant improvements in motor function and self-reported disability status in persons with MS. Some improvements reached clinically meaningful levels.