LAUSR

Introduction/Background Cranial nerve non-invasive neuromodulation (CN-NINM) has been shown to enhance physiotherapy interventions for balance and mobility in patients with neurological impairments. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of CN-NINM in improving gait and balance in a pilot randomised controlled trial in stroke survivors undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Material and method A convenience sample of 10 stroke survivors were randomised to two groups, one receiving CN-NINM using a Portable Neuromodulation Stimulation (PoNS™) device (n = 5, mean age 72 ± 5 y) and the other not receiving stimulation (controls n = 5, mean age 74 ± 6y). For the two-week trial period, both groups received 2 sessions per day of high-intensity physiotherapy. Each session included 20 minutes of balance training and 20 minutes of gait training as well as 20 minutes of relaxation/consolidation period with concurrent stimulation. The main outcome measures were the Mini-BEST, posturography, instrumented timed up-and-go (iTUG) and walking measures. Results Significantly greater improvements in Mini-BEST scores (P  Conclusion This is the first study showing the feasibility of a 2-week intensive physiotherapy intervention combined with CN-NINM using PoNS™ in stroke survivors. This combined intervention was significantly more efficacious than high-intensity physiotherapy alone for the rehabilitation of gait and balance in this population.