Improvement of Motor Imagination and Manual Ability Through Virtual Reality and Selective and Nonselective Functional Electrical Stimulation: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

Abstract

UNSTRUCTURED Motor imagery is a cognitive process that has been shown to be useful in the rehabilitation process after brain injury. Moreover, functional electrical stimulation (FES) has also been shown to be an effective intervention in many parameters, and there is some evidence of its contribution to the improvement of motor imagery capacity. To compare the improvements in motor imagery parameters, strength and manual dexterity obtained using virtual reality, FES and selective FES based on multi-field electrodes in healthy people. Type of study: randomized, controlled clinical trial, with four branches, with blinded third-party assessment. 80 healthy university students will be assigned to the intervention groups. All, except those who participate in the control group, will undergo 5 consecutive sessions of 30 minutes each in non-dominant arm, of the corresponding intervention. Initial, post-intervention and a third follow-up assessment will be conducted. Movement imagery Questionnaire revised (MIQ-RS) and chronometry (timing) will be administered for the assessment of motor imagery, strength will be measured using a digital dynamometer, Nine Hole Peg Test and Box and Blocks test will be administered for manual dexterity assessment. As results, an improvement in motor imagery is expected, especially in the groups receiving FES. Improvements are also expected in the intervention groups in the rest of the parameters assessed in the non-dominant arm. Ethic and dissemination: The study has been approved by the Ethic Committee of Burgos University (IO 2/2023). It will be conducted according to Helsinki declaration, and the requirements established in Spanish legislation. The results will be disseminated through open-access and peer-review journal, and conference presentations.