Heterotropic ossification is a common complication after spinal cord injury. Gradual advancements in the physiopathology and rehabilitation fields, and new treatment methods are a hope for the recovery of the clinical picture of injured individuals in the near future. The objective of this study was to evaluate the heterotropic ossification response of the thigh-femoral joints to neuromuscular electric stimulation in tetraplegic patients after rachial-medullar trauma. Six patients were submitted to neuromuscular electric stimulation for an average period of 16.6 months, being evaluated for X-ray imaging. Improvements on X-ray images were identified in two patients and the non-progression of the picture was observed in the remaining patients. Neuromuscular electric stimulation in spinal cord-injured individuals could be a useful method for treating heterotropic ossification and related progression prevention.
Ossification heterotopic; Spinal cord injuries; Electric stimulation
