Can Electrical Muscle Stimulation Help Restore Shoulder Movement After Nerve Damage? Canadian Cancer Rehabilitation Researchers Explored This Question

person Savannah Martin
calendar_today Jan 05, 2026
comment 0 comments

ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST – INTRODUCTION

Welcome to another article in the ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST series.

In this series, we share real scientific research about electrical muscle stimulation, explained in very simple language.

We do this to:

Inspire curiosity
Help people understand research without jargon
Encourage self-learning

At the end of every blog post, you’ll always find a link to the original research paper.
If you enjoy collecting studies, doing fact-checking, or reading full PDFs, you can go straight to the source.

This article is not medical advice.
We simply explain what researchers studied and what they observed.

WHAT WAS THIS RESEARCH ABOUT?

This research explored whether neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES - a niche of EMS) combined with simple exercises could help people who lost shoulder function after nerve damage.

Specifically, it focused on people who had head and neck cancer surgery that damaged a nerve controlling the trapezius muscle (the large shoulder muscle).

Even when the nerve recovered, many patients:

Still had weak shoulder movement
Could not lift their arm properly
Had pain or stiffness

The researchers wanted to know:

Can NMES help improve movement and function in these cases?

WHO DID THIS RESEARCH AND WHEN?

Year published: 2012
Country: Canada
Journal: Physiotherapy Canada (peer-reviewed)

Researchers

The research team included:

Physiotherapists
Neurophysiology scientists
University researchers

They were affiliated with:

University of Alberta
Alberta Health Services
Cross Cancer Institute

These are well-known public medical and research institutions in Canada.

WHO WAS STUDIED?

3 adult cancer survivors
All had:
- Head or neck cancer surgery
- Damage to the spinal accessory nerve
- Long-term shoulder movement problems
All were 18–30 months post-surgery
All had already tried standard physiotherapy

Their shoulder problems had not improved fully before this study.

WHAT TYPE OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION WAS USED?

The study used NMES (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation).

Important details:

Stimulation was applied over the nerve, not the muscle
Wide pulse width (1 millisecond)
High frequency (up to 100 Hz)
Stimulation was timed with voluntary movement
Exercises were done bilaterally (both shoulders)

This setup was designed to:

Activate muscles
Send strong sensory signals to the brain
Encourage better brain-muscle communication

HOW LONG DID THE PROGRAM LAST?

6 weeks
3 sessions per week
Each session lasted about 1 hour
100% attendance by all participants

WHAT DID THE RESEARCHERS MEASURE?

They measured:

Shoulder range of motion
Shoulder flexion (lifting forward)
Shoulder abduction (lifting sideways)
Patient-reported pain and disability
Quality of life related to shoulder function

WHAT WERE THE POSITIVE FINDINGS?

1. Shoulder Movement Improved in All Participants

After 6 weeks:

Shoulder flexion increased
Shoulder abduction increased
Improvements were seen in every participant

Example results:

One patient improved shoulder flexion by 25 degrees
Shoulder abduction improved by 25 degrees
Other patients improved by 8–10 degrees

These are real, measured movement gains.

2. Pain and Disability Scores Improved

All patients reported less pain
All patients reported less disability
Quality-of-life scores improved in every case

Even when movement gains were smaller, daily comfort improved.

3. Benefits Appeared Even Long After Surgery

Participants were years post-surgery
Natural nerve recovery was already finished
Improvements still occurred with NMES + exercise

This suggests NMES may help even when progress has stalled.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

This research shows that:

Muscle weakness is not always “permanent”
The brain and muscles can still adapt
Electrical stimulation can support:
- Muscle activation
- Movement control
- Functional improvement

The study highlights how movement and nerve signaling matter together, not just muscle strength alone.

HOW MIGHT THIS HELP EMS USERS?

This research helps explain why EMS:

Can activate muscles that are hard to engage
May support better movement patterns
Can be useful alongside gentle exercise
May help people with limited mobility

It also shows that timing, frequency, and stimulation method matter.

ORIGINAL STUDY INFORMATION

Original Research Title:
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Exercise for Reducing Trapezius Muscle Dysfunction in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer

Simplified Name:
Can Electrical Muscle Stimulation Help Restore Shoulder Movement After Nerve Damage?

Source:
Published in Physiotherapy Canada, a peer-reviewed academic journal.

The full PDF is freely available via PubMed Central, a trusted public research archive.

📄 Original Study Link:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3396583/pdf/ptc-64-317.pdf

Like this research digest? 😊
Share it with your friends 🔄📘
https://bit.ly/49htYrW

STUDY SUMMARY TABLE

Study Element	Details
Country	Canada
Journal	Physiotherapy Canada
Participants	3 cancer survivors
Condition	Shoulder dysfunction after nerve damage
Intervention	NMES + bilateral exercise
Duration	6 weeks
Sessions	3 per week
Positive Outcomes	Improved shoulder movement, reduced pain, better quality of life

LET’S TALK

Have you ever noticed muscles feel “sleepy” after injury or surgery?

Or movement improves before pain fully disappears?

Leave a comment below and join the discussion.

Like this research digest? 😊
Share it with your friends 🔄📘
https://bit.ly/45OYybt

MANDATORY DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer:
This blog post is for informational and recreational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.

For full details, visit:
https://oriems.fit/blogs/research-digest/disclaimer