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Background: Repetitive facilitative exercise is an effective method for recovery of the affected limb in stroke patients. However, its effects on spasticity are unknown. We aimed to determine the effects of repetitive facilitative exercise on spasticity using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and the F-wave, and to determine the relationship between the changes in spasticity and functional recovery of the hemiplegic upper limb.Methods: Subacute stroke patients underwent repetitive facilitative exercise (n = 11) or conventional rehabilitation (n = 8) for 4 weeks. We investigated spasticity and functional recovery in a hemiplegic upper limb retrospectively. The MAS, F-wave, Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), and the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) were assessed immediately before and after the 4-week session.Results: Repetitive facilitative exercise did not change the MAS and decreased F persistence and the F amplitude ratio, and improved both the FMA and the ARAT for the affected upper limb. The reduction of F-wave parameters was not correlated with the improvements in the FMA and ARAT in the repetitive facilitative exercise group. Conventional rehabilitation had no effect on the MAS, F-wave parameters, FMA, or the ARAT.Conclusions: Repetitive facilitative exercise decreases spinal motoneuron excitability and promotes functional recovery. However, there was no correlation between the change in spinal motoneuron excitability and the improvement of upper-limb function. The present results suggest that repetitive facilitative exercise is useful for treating spasticity in the subacute phase of stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate whether a footbath inhibits spasticity in the hemiplegic lower limbs of post-stroke patients. Design: Randomized, controlled study. Setting: Rehabilitation education and research hospital. Interventions: Twenty-two post-stroke patients were randomly allocated to control or experimental groups. After relaxing in a supine posture for 30min, the experimental group subject's legs were immersed in 41°C water below the knee joint for 15min, while the control group remained in a resting posture. Main Outcome Measures: Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores of the affected triceps surae muscle and F-wave parameters (i.e., F-wave amplitude, F/M ratio, and F-wave persistence) were recorded before, immediately after, and 30min after each intervention. Physiological parameters were simultaneously monitored to determine the thermo-therapeutic mechanisms and side effects of footbath usage. Results: At the time immediately after the intervention, F-wave amplitudes decreased significantly in the experimental group, compared to the control group (p<0.01, difference: -106.8; 95% CI; -181.58 to -32.09). F-wave amplitudes decreased significantly after 30-min intervention in the experimental group, with a total reduction of 161.2μV being recorded compared to 8.8μV increase in the control group (p<0.01, difference: -170.0; 95% CI; -252.73 to -87.33). There were also significant differences between the experimental and control group for both F/M ratio and F-wave persistence, immediately after and 30min after the intervention. Further, there were significant differences between the experimental and control group for the MAS scores immediately after the intervention (p<0.05, difference: -0.72; 95% CI; -1.262 to -0.193), and 30min after the intervention (p<0.05, difference: -0.73; 95% CI; -1.162 to -0.293). Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the use of footbaths is an effective non-pharmacological anti-spastic treatment for use in stroke rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To examine the feasibility of adapting whole body vibration (WBV) in the hemiplegic legs of post-stroke patients and to investigate the anti-spastic effects, and the improvement of motor function and walking ability. Twenty-five post-stroke patients with lower-limb spasticity were enrolled in the study. Each subject sat with hip joint angles to approximately 90° of flexion, and with knee joint angles to 0° of extension. WBV was applied at 30 Hz (4–8 mm amplitude) for 5 min on hamstrings, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. The modified Ashworth scale was significantly decreased, active and passive range of motion (A-ROM, P-ROM) for ankle dorsiflexion and straight leg raising increased, and walking speed and cadence both improved during the 5-min intervention. Our proposed therapeutic approach could therefore be a novel neuro-rehabilitation strategy among patients with various severities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]