The effects of non-invasive brain stimulation: transcranial direct current stimulation on rehabilitation after 24-hour wrist immobilization, evaluated by muscle strength and corticospinal excitability - a randomized sham-controlled trial
Author
Larsen-Ledet, Bo
Term
4. term
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-29
Abstract
Distal radius fractures are common and often require prolonged immobilization, which can hinder recovery. With no single gold standard for rehabilitation, adjunct approaches such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) merit evaluation. This single-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial tested whether a single 20-minute anodal 1 mA tDCS session delivered before 24 hours of dominant right-hand immobilization in healthy young adults could mitigate short-term reductions in muscle strength and corticospinal excitability. Fifteen participants enrolled, and 11 were included per protocol (6 active tDCS, 5 sham). The primary outcome was muscle strength assessed by maximum voluntary contraction, and the secondary outcome was corticospinal excitability assessed by motor evoked potentials; changes from baseline to 24 hours post-immobilization were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. Results showed no statistically significant differences between active tDCS and sham for either outcome, and the 24-hour immobilization itself did not produce clear declines. Thus, this study found no evidence that the tested tDCS protocol offsets short-term neuromuscular changes following 24 hours of immobilization. The null findings likely reflect low statistical power, brief immobilization, and low tDCS dose. The protocol was feasible, and larger trials with longer immobilization and higher tDCS intensity are warranted.
Distal radiusfrakturer er almindelige og kræver ofte længerevarende immobilisering, som kan hæmme genoptræningen. Der findes ingen entydig standard for rehabilitering, og supplerende tiltag som transkraniel jævnstrømsstimulation (tDCS) er derfor relevante at undersøge. Dette randomiserede, enkeltblindede, sham-kontrollerede forsøg undersøgte, om en enkelt 20-minutters anodal 1 mA tDCS-session givet før 24 timers immobilisering af den dominerende højre hånd hos raske unge voksne kan modvirke kortvarige fald i muskelstyrke og kortikospinal excitabilitet. Femten deltog, og 11 indgik i per-protokol-analyser (6 aktiv tDCS, 5 sham). Primært mål var muskelstyrke målt som maksimal frivillig kontraktion, og sekundært mål var kortikospinal excitabilitet vurderet ved motorisk fremkaldte potentialer; ændringer fra baseline til 24 timer efter immobilisering blev analyseret med gentagne målinger ANOVA. Resultaterne viste ingen statistisk signifikante forskelle mellem aktiv tDCS og sham for hverken muskelstyrke eller kortikospinal excitabilitet, og der sås heller ingen tydelige effekter af selve 24-timers immobiliseringen. Studiet fandt således ingen evidens for, at denne tDCS-protokol afbøder kortvarige neuromuskulære ændringer efter 24 timers immobilisering. Manglende effekt kan skyldes lav statistisk styrke, for kort immobiliseringsvarighed og lav tDCS-intensitet. Protokollen var gennemførlig, og større studier med længere immobilisering og højere tDCS-dosering anbefales.
[This abstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]