Subacute StrokeMORE-EMSNCT07720622
Comparison of Motor Relearning Program and Electric Muscle Stimulation in Subacute Stroke Patients
A study testing Motor Relearning Program and Electrical Muscle Stimulation in people with Subacute Stroke, run by Montiha Azeem at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with upper limb motor impairment being a common consequence that limits independence in activities of daily living. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 40 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Subacute Stroke
- What is being tested?
- Motor Relearning Program and Electrical Muscle Stimulation
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 6 Jul 2026to 21 Aug 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 40 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 40-65 years
- Both male and female
- Sub acute stroke patients diagnosed by neurologist
- Motor assessment scale score 2-3
- Subjects able to sit for 30 secs without using upper extremities for support.
- Modified Ashworth scale value < 2
Who cannot join
- Patients with Mini Mental State Examination <23
- Cognitive disorders and perceptual disorders
- Any musculoskeletal disorders
- Severe cardiac diseases
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with upper limb motor impairment being a common consequence that limits independence in activities of daily living. The Motor Relearning Program (MRP) is a task-oriented rehabilitation approach designed to improve motor recovery through repetitive functional practice. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) may further enhance muscle activation and facilitate motor recovery when combined with conventional rehabilitation.
The purpose of this single-blinded randomized controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of the Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation versus the Motor Relearning Program alone in improving upper limb function in individuals with subacute stroke. Thirty-six eligible participants with subacute stroke will be randomly allocated into two groups. Group A will receive MRP together with EMS, while Group B will receive the same MRP without EMS. Both groups will undergo treatment for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks.
Upper limb motor recovery and muscle tone will be evaluated at baseline and after the intervention using the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke (MESUPES). The findings of this study may help determine whether adding EMS to a structured Motor Relearning Program provides greater improvements in upper limb function than MRP alone in individuals with subacute stroke.
Read the detailed description
Stroke frequently results in upper limb motor impairment, reduced functional independence, and diminished quality of life. Despite advances in stroke rehabilitation, recovery of upper extremity function remains challenging. The Motor Relearning Program (MRP) is a task-oriented rehabilitation approach that promotes neuroplasticity through repetitive practice of meaningful functional activities. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has been proposed as an adjunctive intervention to facilitate voluntary muscle activation, improve neuromuscular recruitment, and enhance functional recovery.
This study is designed as a single-center, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital. A total of 36 participants with subacute stroke who meet the eligibility criteria will be recruited and randomly allocated into two equal groups using the sealed envelope randomization technique.
Participants in Group A will receive a structured Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation. The intervention will include repetitive task-oriented upper limb activities such as opening and closing bottle lids, lifting and drinking from a glass, arranging puzzles, reaching in different directions, transferring small objects, turning door handles, and turning book pages. EMS will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles, including the deltoid, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, wrist flexors and extensors, and finger flexors and extensors, using surface electrodes for 10 minutes during each treatment session.
Participants in Group B will receive the identical Motor Relearning Program without Electrical Muscle Stimulation. Both groups will receive treatment for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 6 consecutive weeks, with progression of task difficulty according to individual performance.
Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after completion of the 6-week intervention. The primary outcome measures are the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA) and the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The secondary outcome measure is the Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke (MESUPES). These validated outcome measures will be used to evaluate motor recovery, upper limb function, and muscle tone.
The study aims to determine whether the addition of Electrical Muscle Stimulation to a Motor Relearning Program produces superior improvements in upper limb motor function compared with the Motor Relearning Program alone in individuals with subacute stroke. The results may contribute evidence to support the development of effective rehabilitation strategies for upper limb recovery following stroke.
- Conditions
- Subacute Stroke
- Being tested
- Motor Relearning Program, Electrical Muscle Stimulation
- Keywords
- Stroke Rehabilitation, Motor Relearning Program, Electrical Muscle Stimulation, Upper Limb Rehabilitation
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Motor Relearning ProgramBehavioural
Participants will receive a structured Motor Relearning Program consisting of repetitive task-oriented upper limb activities, including reaching, grasping, object manipulation, lifting, puzzle arrangement, and functional daily living tasks. Therapy will be provided for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks, with progressive increases in task difficulty according to participant performance.
Electrical Muscle StimulationDevice
Electrical Muscle Stimulation will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles, including the deltoid, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, wrist flexors and extensors, and finger flexors and extensors, using surface electrodes for 10 minutes during each treatment session. Stimulation intensity will be adjusted to produce visible, pain-free muscle contractions according to participant tolerance. EMS will be administered in combination with the Motor Relearning Program, 5 days per week for 6 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| group A Motor Relearning Program + Electrical Muscle Stimulation | Experimental | Participants will receive a Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS). The Motor Relearning Program will consist of task-oriented upper limb activities for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks. EMS will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles for 10 minutes during each treatment session. Receives: Device: Electrical Muscle Stimulation |
| group B Motor Relearning Program | Active comparator | Participants will receive the same Motor Relearning Program consisting of task-oriented upper limb exercises for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks, without Electrical Muscle Stimulation. Receives: Behavioral: Motor Relearning Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA)
The UEFMA will be used to assess upper limb motor recovery following the intervention. Scores obtained at baseline and after the 6-week intervention will be compared between the two study groups to evaluate changes in upper extremity motor function.
Measured: Baseline and Week 6
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Jul 2026
- Study start6 Jul 2026
- Primary completion21 Aug 2026
- Study completion21 Aug 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Subacute StrokeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Montiha Azeem
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Montiha Azeem, University of Lahore
- Investigators
- Laraib Gull, MSPTN, Principal investigator, The University of Lahore, Lahore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07720622
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UOL/IREB/25/15/03/23
- Acronym
- MORE-EMS
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 3 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Comparison of Motor Relearning Program and Electric Muscle Stimulation in Subacute Stroke Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07720622
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MORE-EMS / UOL/IREB/25/15/03/23
- Conditions
- Subacute Stroke
- Keywords
- Stroke Rehabilitation, Motor Relearning Program, Electrical Muscle Stimulation, Upper Limb Rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Montiha AzeemUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 21 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 21 Aug 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide, with upper limb motor impairment being a common consequence that limits independence in activities of daily living. The Motor Relearning Program (MRP) is a task-oriented rehabilitation approach designed to improve motor recovery through repetitive functional practice. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) may further enhance muscle activation and facilitate motor recovery when combined with conventional rehabilitation.
The purpose of this single-blinded randomized controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of the Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation versus the Motor Relearning Program alone in improving upper limb function in individuals with subacute stroke. Thirty-six eligible participants with subacute stroke will be randomly allocated into two groups. Group A will receive MRP together with EMS, while Group B will receive the same MRP without EMS. Both groups will undergo treatment for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks.
Upper limb motor recovery and muscle tone will be evaluated at baseline and after the intervention using the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke (MESUPES). The findings of this study may help determine whether adding EMS to a structured Motor Relearning Program provides greater improvements in upper limb function than MRP alone in individuals with subacute stroke.
Detailed description
Stroke frequently results in upper limb motor impairment, reduced functional independence, and diminished quality of life. Despite advances in stroke rehabilitation, recovery of upper extremity function remains challenging. The Motor Relearning Program (MRP) is a task-oriented rehabilitation approach that promotes neuroplasticity through repetitive practice of meaningful functional activities. Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has been proposed as an adjunctive intervention to facilitate voluntary muscle activation, improve neuromuscular recruitment, and enhance functional recovery.
This study is designed as a single-center, single-blinded, randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital. A total of 36 participants with subacute stroke who meet the eligibility criteria will be recruited and randomly allocated into two equal groups using the sealed envelope randomization technique.
Participants in Group A will receive a structured Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation. The intervention will include repetitive task-oriented upper limb activities such as opening and closing bottle lids, lifting and drinking from a glass, arranging puzzles, reaching in different directions, transferring small objects, turning door handles, and turning book pages. EMS will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles, including the deltoid, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, wrist flexors and extensors, and finger flexors and extensors, using surface electrodes for 10 minutes during each treatment session.
Participants in Group B will receive the identical Motor Relearning Program without Electrical Muscle Stimulation. Both groups will receive treatment for 1 hour per day, 5 days per week, for 6 consecutive weeks, with progression of task difficulty according to individual performance.
Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after completion of the 6-week intervention. The primary outcome measures are the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA) and the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). The secondary outcome measure is the Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke (MESUPES). These validated outcome measures will be used to evaluate motor recovery, upper limb function, and muscle tone.
The study aims to determine whether the addition of Electrical Muscle Stimulation to a Motor Relearning Program produces superior improvements in upper limb motor function compared with the Motor Relearning Program alone in individuals with subacute stroke. The results may contribute evidence to support the development of effective rehabilitation strategies for upper limb recovery following stroke.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| group A Motor Relearning Program + Electrical Muscle Stimulation | Experimental | Device: Electrical Muscle StimulationParticipants will receive a Motor Relearning Program combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS). The Motor Relearning Program will consist of task-oriented upper limb activities for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks. EMS will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles for 10 minutes during each treatment session. |
| group B Motor Relearning Program | Active comparator | Behavioral: Motor Relearning ProgramParticipants will receive the same Motor Relearning Program consisting of task-oriented upper limb exercises for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks, without Electrical Muscle Stimulation. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 40 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Age 40-65 years
- Both male and female
- Sub acute stroke patients diagnosed by neurologist
- Motor assessment scale score 2-3
- Subjects able to sit for 30 secs without using upper extremities for support.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Patients with Mini Mental State Examination <23
- Cognitive disorders and perceptual disorders
- Any musculoskeletal disorders
- Severe cardiac diseases
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Relearning ProgramParticipants will receive a structured Motor Relearning Program consisting of repetitive task-oriented upper limb activities, including reaching, grasping, object manipulation, lifting, puzzle arrangement, and functional daily living tasks. Therapy will be provided for 1 hour per session, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks, with progressive increases in task difficulty according to participant performance. | Behavioural | group B Motor Relearning Program |
| Electrical Muscle StimulationElectrical Muscle Stimulation will be applied to the affected upper limb muscles, including the deltoid, biceps brachii, triceps brachii, wrist flexors and extensors, and finger flexors and extensors, using surface electrodes for 10 minutes during each treatment session. Stimulation intensity will be adjusted to produce visible, pain-free muscle contractions according to participant tolerance. EMS will be administered in combination with the Motor Relearning Program, 5 days per week for 6 weeks. | Device | group A Motor Relearning Program + Electrical Muscle Stimulation |
Primary outcome
Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA)
Time frame: Baseline and Week 6
The UEFMA will be used to assess upper limb motor recovery following the intervention. Scores obtained at baseline and after the 6-week intervention will be compared between the two study groups to evaluate changes in upper extremity motor function.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Nov 2026.
Related trials for Subacute Stroke
Not yet recruiting
Temporal Interference Stimulation for Upper-Limb Motor Recovery in Early Subacute Stroke
Acute Ischemic Stroke
Recruiting
Web-Based Tele-Rehabilitation Using Action Observation and Mirror Therapy for Subacute Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Stroke, Upper Extremity Paresis
Recruiting
Functional Improvement in Subacute/Chronic Stroke Through Non-invasive Virtual-reality-Based Telerehabilitation
Stroke
Active, not recruiting
Comparative Effects of Sensorimotor Training and tACS on Upper Limb Function and Cervical Proprioception in Subacute Stroke
Sub-acute Stroke
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Detecting and Predicting Post-stroke Cognitive Impairment Using the Oxford Cognitive Screen
Stroke, Ischemic Stroke
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Laraib Gull, MSPTN principal investigator
The University of Lahore, Lahore
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Motor Relearning Program and Electrical Muscle Stimulation in people with Subacute Stroke, run by Montiha Azeem at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UEFMA) (time frame: Baseline and Week 6). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Nov 2026.