The effects of wide pulse neuromuscular electrical stimulation on elbow flexion torque in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke

► Wide pulse width (1 ms) neuromuscular electrical stimulation at high frequencies (100 Hz) generates larger contractions in the paretic limb as compared to the non-paretic limb in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke. ► The larger contractions evoked during WP-NMES in the paretic limb were likely due to increased reflexive recruitment of motoneurons, as a result of increased reflex excitability on the paretic side. ► NMES that elicits larger contractions in the paretic limb may allow for the development of more effective stroke rehabilitation paradigms and functional neural prostheses.