The research on the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) protocol on skin temperature (Tsk) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) is a prospective non-controlled intervention study. 47 individuals with SCI were recruited from the outpatient clinic. NMES was applied to the tibial anterior (TA) muscles. Four assessments were performed: baseline, shortly after the end of NMES session (t0), 10 min after the end of NMES (t10) and 20 min after the end of NMES (t20). The intensity used was 1.5 mA RMS (root mean square) depending on the individuals. The variables were Tsk at forehead, dermatome C2 and L5 bilaterally. The dermatome C2 and forehead were measured only at baseline and t20. The measurement device was a noncontact infrared thermometer. Results of this study demonstrated that after NMES the stimulated dermatome (L5), showed an increase in local Tsk. In addition, the t20 showed that the Tsk did not drop to the baseline, being still significant in the analyzed group. The implications for rehabilitation practice and the positive effects of NMES are fundamental to improvement of the blood microcirculation and local metabolism.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.