An overview of electrical stimulation in stroke rehabilitation: a narrative review

Introduction: Stroke is a prevalent cause of death and disability which commonly has profound implications on individuals’ quality of life. Electrical stimulation (ES) is a widely used intervention post-stroke, often used to assist with functional activities of the upper and lower limbs, and to assist with gait re-education. Methods: In April 2026, a literature search of electronic databases was conducted using EBSCOHost. A total of 15 reviews met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Results: In this narrative review, evidence was summarised on the outcomes of ES, namely NMES, FES, and TENS, on post-stroke rehabilitation. The efficacy of differing modalities of ES and their relationship to common symptoms post-stroke were discussed, including post-stroke spasticity, upper/lower extremity rehabilitation, hemiplegic shoulder pain and subluxation, and gait. Discussion: This review discussed limitations in the current literature, such as the lack of sufficient evidence on the optimal frequency for spasticity management and the absence of comparisons between various types of ES in different aspects of stroke rehabilitation.