Individuals who had experience a stroke usually suffer from spasticity at medium and long-terms. The presence of spasticity in the lower extremity implies several impairments for standing and walking inducing high disability. A recent study has proposed the use of dry needling for improving spasticity in the lower extremity. No study has investigated the effects of deep dry needling inserted into spastic musculature in stabilometry and moto function in patients who had experience a stroke. A randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of the inclusion of deep dry needling into a Bobath interventional program on spasticity, motor function and balance (stabilometry) in individuals who had experience a stroke
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
30
Once the most painful spot is located within a palpable spastic taut band, the overlying skin is cleaned with alcohol. The needle will be inserted, penetrating the skin about 15-20mm, until the first local twitch response is obtained. Once the first local twitch response is obtained, the needle will be moved up and down (4 to 5 mm. vertical motions with no rotation) in the muscle at approximately 1Hz for 25-30 seconds.
Patients will receive different neuromodulatory interventions based on the Bobath concept with the aim to decrease spasticity on the lower extremity
Cesar Fernandez-de-Las-Peñas
Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
Changes in spasticity before and 10 minutes after the intervention
Spasticity in the affected ankle joint will be evaluated with the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS). The examiner passively will move the ankle in dorsal-flexion direction, back and forth at least 5 times and will evaluate the degree of resistance to the movement on a scale from 0-4.
Time frame: Baseline and immediate after the intervention
Changes in motor function before and 10 minutes after the intervention
The Fugl-Meyer evaluation will be used to determine motor impairments and physical recovery of patients who had experienced a stroke
Time frame: Baseline and immediate after the intervention
Changes in stabilometry outcomes before and 10 minutes after the intervention
The time reaction will be assessed as stabilometric data from each patient.
Time frame: Baseline and immediate after the intervention
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