title: Effects of physiotherapy on F-wave-amplitudes in spasticity.
abstract: F-wave amplitudes have been used to demonstrate changes of motor neuron excitability in spasticity and pharmacological antispastic therapy. In this study it is shown that F-wave amplitudes can also be used to document changes of motor neuron excitability as an effect of physiotherapy. Ten F-waves were recorded immediately before and after physiotherapy in 42 legs of 21 patients with spastic paraparesis due to multiple sclerosis. Mean F-wave amplitude, maximum F-wave amplitude, mean F-wave/M-response ratio and maximum F-wave/M-response ratio were significantly lower after physiotherapy than before. Therefore the antispastic effect of physiotherapy is documented by a decrease of F-wave-amplitude parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rösche
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rüb
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Niemann-Delius
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mauch
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities