Mehak Imtiaz, Asna Waseem, Maida Chaudhary, Aisha Sultan, Nouman Abid, Dua Shahzad.
Effects of Functional Electrical Stimulation with and without Kinesiotherapy on Pain, Range of Motion and Quality of Life in patients with Cervical Dystonia; a Randomized Clinical Trial.
Healer J Physiotherap Rehab Jan ;3(2):349-59.

Background: Cervical dystonia is characterized by cervical muscles contracting involuntarily which eventually leads to uncomfortable and awkward postures of the head and neck and compromised motor control. Objective: To compare the effects of functional electrical stimulation with and without kinesiotherapy on pain, range of motion, functional disability and quality of life in patients with cervical dystonia. Methods: This controlled trial conducted at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore. About 84 patients with cervical dystonia were recruited in this study using non-probability convenient sampling. Patients suffering from cervical dystonia aged between 30 and 50 years were randomly allocated into two groups with 42 patients in each group. The control group was treated with functional electrical stimulation and routine physical therapy while the experimental group was treated with functional electrical stimulation also with kinesiotherapy and routine physical therapy. Both the groups were evaluated and assessed using the Toronto western spasmodic torticollis rating scale, the numeric pain rating scale, the 36-item short-form health survey, the neck disability index and the range of motion were measured using a universal goniometer. After checking the normality of the data which was assessed by the Kolmogorov- Smirnov test within group comparison repeated measured ANOVA was used to compare the variables at baseline, then the 8th week and then the 16th week. For the comparison between the groups' an independent sample t-test was used and p<0.05 was deliberated as significant. Results: Functional electrical stimulation combined with the kinesiotherapy group showed more improvement in the experimental group as compared to the control group. The mean values displayed that there was a statistically significant difference in different variables between both groups. When the scores at baseline and16th week for Toronto western spasmodic torticollis rating scale for both the groups were compared and it showed a statistical difference between both the groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: This trial concludes that kinesiotherapy along with functional electrical stimulation with routine physical therapy is more effective and beneficial than functional electrical therapy with routine physical therapy alone, in reducing pain, improving range of motion, functional disability and quality of life in patients having cervical dystonia.

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