Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

<h4>Background</h4>Stroke frequently leads to motor impairments, with almost half of the affected individuals experiencing diminished sensation, impacting their overall quality of life and autonomy. Rehabilitation efforts, however, often overlook somatosensory functions of the lower limb...

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Main Authors: Adamu Adamu Ahmad, Duangporn Suriyaamarit, Akkradate Siriphorn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2024-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315097
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author Adamu Adamu Ahmad
Duangporn Suriyaamarit
Akkradate Siriphorn
author_facet Adamu Adamu Ahmad
Duangporn Suriyaamarit
Akkradate Siriphorn
author_sort Adamu Adamu Ahmad
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Stroke frequently leads to motor impairments, with almost half of the affected individuals experiencing diminished sensation, impacting their overall quality of life and autonomy. Rehabilitation efforts, however, often overlook somatosensory functions of the lower limbs. While plantar sensory stimulation activates receptors in the foot sole, its precise impact on the motor functions and gait of individuals with stroke is yet to be ascertained.<h4>Objectives</h4>This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of sensory interventions on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke.<h4>Methods</h4>We searched eight databases from inception to December 2023 for randomized controlled trials that investigated sensory interventions targeting gait or lower limb motor function in stroke patients. The primary outcomes included changes in gait and motor function, reported as standardized mean differences (SMD) and assessed heterogeneity (I2).<h4>Results</h4>A total of [number] studies were included, covering different sensory modalities such as textured insoles, plantar vibration, and cognitive sensorimotor exercises. The interventions showed varying effectiveness, with plantar vibration therapy exhibiting a large effect size (SMD = 2.03 [1.13, 2.94]) for improving lower limb motor function, while textured insoles showed moderate effectiveness (SMD = 0.58 [0.24, 0.92]) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). For gait, significant enhancement was seen with plantar vibration (SMD = 3.17 [2.05, 4.29]) and cognitive sensorimotor training (SMD = 2.85 [1.69, 4.02]). However, overall heterogeneity was moderate to high (I2 = 65% for motor function, 85% for gait), indicating variability across different studies and intervention types.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The findings of this review and meta-analysis suggest that plantar somatosensory stimulation has the potential to improve lower limb motor function and gait in people with stroke. However, to firmly establish its efficacy as a rehabilitative tool, larger-scale and high-quality studies are requisite.
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spelling doaj-art-40029270896a400c9cc3beb237455ab12025-08-20T01:57:52ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032024-01-011912e031509710.1371/journal.pone.0315097Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Adamu Adamu AhmadDuangporn SuriyaamaritAkkradate Siriphorn<h4>Background</h4>Stroke frequently leads to motor impairments, with almost half of the affected individuals experiencing diminished sensation, impacting their overall quality of life and autonomy. Rehabilitation efforts, however, often overlook somatosensory functions of the lower limbs. While plantar sensory stimulation activates receptors in the foot sole, its precise impact on the motor functions and gait of individuals with stroke is yet to be ascertained.<h4>Objectives</h4>This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of sensory interventions on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke.<h4>Methods</h4>We searched eight databases from inception to December 2023 for randomized controlled trials that investigated sensory interventions targeting gait or lower limb motor function in stroke patients. The primary outcomes included changes in gait and motor function, reported as standardized mean differences (SMD) and assessed heterogeneity (I2).<h4>Results</h4>A total of [number] studies were included, covering different sensory modalities such as textured insoles, plantar vibration, and cognitive sensorimotor exercises. The interventions showed varying effectiveness, with plantar vibration therapy exhibiting a large effect size (SMD = 2.03 [1.13, 2.94]) for improving lower limb motor function, while textured insoles showed moderate effectiveness (SMD = 0.58 [0.24, 0.92]) with no heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). For gait, significant enhancement was seen with plantar vibration (SMD = 3.17 [2.05, 4.29]) and cognitive sensorimotor training (SMD = 2.85 [1.69, 4.02]). However, overall heterogeneity was moderate to high (I2 = 65% for motor function, 85% for gait), indicating variability across different studies and intervention types.<h4>Conclusion</h4>The findings of this review and meta-analysis suggest that plantar somatosensory stimulation has the potential to improve lower limb motor function and gait in people with stroke. However, to firmly establish its efficacy as a rehabilitative tool, larger-scale and high-quality studies are requisite.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315097
spellingShingle Adamu Adamu Ahmad
Duangporn Suriyaamarit
Akkradate Siriphorn
Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
PLoS ONE
title Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_full Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_fullStr Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_full_unstemmed Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_short Plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
title_sort plantar sensory stimulation and its impact on gait and lower limb motor function in individuals with stroke a systematic review and meta analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315097
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AT duangpornsuriyaamarit plantarsensorystimulationanditsimpactongaitandlowerlimbmotorfunctioninindividualswithstrokeasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis
AT akkradatesiriphorn plantarsensorystimulationanditsimpactongaitandlowerlimbmotorfunctioninindividualswithstrokeasystematicreviewandmetaanalysis