United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I have tried this for one week on my deltoid but doesn't seem to be working. No contractions like my good shoulder. It has been 7 months since it stopped working (lots of atrophy). Does this sometimes take awhile to start working?
thanks

I am not sure but I Would think YES> I never got a contraction out of my arm, like you are talking about with your good arm, I did e-stim for ever! haha Talk with your doc or a therapist. Good luck!

COurt

The muscle has to be innervated in order for it to contract with e-stim.

My thinking was that e-stim was a way to keep the muscle from completely atrophying while waiting for the repaired or transferred nerve to grow out & innervate it. Once the muscle is innervated, estim isn't necessary since it can contract via the nerve impulse.

Am I wrong in thinking that?

Ellen

I learned that you need innervation for both NMES and TES e-stims to work. And that once you get innervation, e-stim is used to regrow atrophied muscle and then to strengthen it. But that e-stim does nothing for a muscle that is not yet innervated.
I will email you my sources.

Can you also send me that info?
thanks

Email them to me too please liz@tbpi-group.org. if you get time. It would be much appreciated, thanks!

Here in the UK they (as far as I know) hardly ever use estim on adult trauma injuries. I think that they think it is not a proven therapy. One surgeon was heard to say that if it worked we'd all be using it, but that could also be something to do with our public health system not being happy to bear the costs.

I also think that younger people who are still growing would get a more postive result from this therapy than an older adult. Would be very interested to hear your views on this too...

Lizzy B

Who ever receives the info, don't be afraid to post it here,
so we can all see it. That's why we come here, yes?
To share information, love and pain... hospital bills, war stories,
bad jokes...

Please find out why............its the only way to keep your muscles working, since you can't! Keep it going............can't hurt.

Kath in Chicago

to add to my last post..............
I had atrophy right away but the stim is keeping it alive in there. Its not going to keep it its natural size but it is working the muscle. Don't give up. One thing you will learn quicky from other posts on here............NEVER GIVE UP!!!!

Kath in Chicago