Effect of Myofeedback and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Hemiplegic Children After Brain Tumor Resection

May 17, 2026 updated by: Amr Mohamed Sabry Lotfi Amer, Cairo University
This study was conducted to compare between the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and myofeedback on upper limb function, muscle activity and brain derived neurotropic factor in blood for children with hemiplegia after brain tumor surgery.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Studies indicate that neuromuscular electrical stimulation is more effective than voluntary exercise in enhancing serum Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and improving muscle strength and mobility in children with conditions like cerebral palsy and spinal muscular atrophy. Myofeedback, particularly surface electromyography biofeedback, is beneficial for upper extremity function post-stroke, as it helps raise awareness and control of movements. Intensive electromyography biofeedback has shown significant recovery in hemiplegic children compared to traditional therapy. There is potential for a multimodal treatment approach that combines neuromuscular electrical stimulation and biofeedback to mitigate the effects of brain tumors on upper limb function and optimize Brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
45

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Egypt
      • Alexandria, Egypt
        • Elmagd physical therapy centres, Teriaq oncology centre and Elite hospital.

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 6-14 years post brain tumor surgery children.
  • Children's hand use experience questionnaire between 25 and 50 on a scale of units.
  • Grade 2 muscle power of wrist, elbow and finger extensors.
  • Outpatient children.
  • Post-operative brain tumour, which is located in one of the two hemispheres.
  • After 6 weeks post-surgery.
  • The child can follow orders and instructions.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Blindness.
  • Deaf child.
  • Skin diseases.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: selected physical therapy program
The control group will undergo a selected physical therapy (PT) program for one hour, three times weekly, over twelve weeks.
Other: selected physical therapy program
The program includes push-up exercises, active strength training for wrist extensors using fine motor toys, stretching for wrist and elbow flexors and pronators, weight-bearing positions from side sitting, quadruped position with active limb elevation, rolling a small ball with the affected limb, and rhythmic muscle approximation for shoulder, elbow, and wrist.
Experimental: selected physical therapy program and biofeedback
Patient will undergo a selected physical therapy program for one hour, three times a week, for twelve weeks, supplemented by a biofeedback program.
Other: selected physical therapy program
The program includes push-up exercises, active strength training for wrist extensors using fine motor toys, stretching for wrist and elbow flexors and pronators, weight-bearing positions from side sitting, quadruped position with active limb elevation, rolling a small ball with the affected limb, and rhythmic muscle approximation for shoulder, elbow, and wrist.
Device: biofeedback
During sessions, the child sits with an arm resting on a table, with electrodes placed on the wrist extensors and forearm. The treatment involves gradually increasing the intensity of faradic current to induce muscle contraction. Each session lasts 30 minutes to one hour, with treatments up to three times daily, using a frequency of 50-100 Hz and a pulse duration of 0.1-1 ms, for a duration of 2 weeks to 3 months.
Experimental: selected physical therapy program and neuromuscular electric stimulation
The child will participate in a physical therapy program for one hour, three times a week, over twelve weeks, supplemented by neuromuscular electric stimulation.
Other: selected physical therapy program
The program includes push-up exercises, active strength training for wrist extensors using fine motor toys, stretching for wrist and elbow flexors and pronators, weight-bearing positions from side sitting, quadruped position with active limb elevation, rolling a small ball with the affected limb, and rhythmic muscle approximation for shoulder, elbow, and wrist.
Device: neuromuscular electric stimulation
The child will participate in a physical therapy program for one hour, three times a week, over twelve weeks, supplemented by neuromuscular electric stimulation. During sessions, the child sits with an arm resting on a table, with electrodes placed on the wrist extensors and forearm. The treatment involves gradually increasing the intensity of faradic current to induce muscle contraction. Each session lasts 30 minutes to one hour, with treatments up to three times daily, using a frequency of 50-100 Hz and a pulse duration of 0.1-1 ms, for a duration of 2 weeks to 3 months.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of muscle activity
Time Frame: at baseline and after 12 weeks
All children will be assessed using surface electromyography for wrist extensor muscles while sitting, with their upper limbs resting on a desk and utilizing three electrodes. The ground electrode (black) is placed proximal to the others, the active electrode (yellow) is on the common extensor origin, and the connector (blue) is positioned at least 3 cm distally. After registering new patient data, the assessment begins via a one-channel surface electromyography setup, recording maximum and mean muscle activity during wrist extension upon pressing the play button.
at baseline and after 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Assessment of upper limb function
Time Frame: at baseline and after 12 weeks
Using the short form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test, which includes fourteen selected test items, subtests 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7 are administered. The child is positioned sitting at a table. The time taken for each task is noted as part of the proficiency evaluation. Performance is recorded, and raw scores are converted to point scores using a conversion table. The better result from two trials for each item is taken, and the total points from the fourteen short items are recorded in the designated area.
at baseline and after 12 weeks
assessment of level of neurotrophic factor
Time Frame: at baseline and after 12 weeks
Fasting blood samples were taken in potassium-methylene diamine tetra acetic acid tubes, centrifuged for 15 minutes at 3000 rpm, and the plasma was stored at -80°C before being sent to Myriad RBM for a 190-analyte multiplex immunoassay. Additionally, the Brain-derived neurotrophic factor enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reliably measures whole blood Brain-derived neurotrophic factor with high reproducibility.
at baseline and after 12 weeks
assessment of dynamic spasticity of wrist and elbow flexors muscles
Time Frame: at baseline and after 12 weeks
Dynamic spasticity of wrist and elbow flexors muscles will be analyzed at the study's start and end. Measurements will include resistance 1 (fast velocity movement through full range of motion to identify the point of catch), resistance 2 (passive range of motion), and the difference resistance 2-resistance 1 (dynamic spasticity component). The Modified Ashworth Scale serves as a clinical tool for assessing spasticity, employing quantitative measurements at two speeds: slow (resistance 2) and fast (resistance 1).
at baseline and after 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cairo University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
September 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 17, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 17, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 17, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Amr-phd

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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