title: The effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on lower limb spasticity in subacute stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on lower limb spasticity in subacute stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied thirty hemiplegic subacute stroke patients with ankle plantar flexor spasticity. ESWT was applied for 1 session/week, with a total of 3 sessions at the musculotendinous junction of medial and lateral gastrocnemius muscles. Patients were evaluated both clinically and biomechanically at baseline, after sham stimulation, and at immediately 1 week and 4 weeks after ESWT. For clinical assessment, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), clonus score, passive range of motion of ankle, and Fugl-Myer Assessment for the lower extremity were used. A biomechanical assessment of spasticity was conducted by an isokinetic dynamometer. Two parameters, peak eccentric torque (PET) and torque threshold angle (TTA), were analyzed at the velocities of 60°/sec, 180°/sec, and 240°/sec.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After sham stimulation, there were no significant changes between each assessment. MAS and PET (180°/sec and 240°/sec) were significantly improved immediately and 1 week after ESWT. However, these changes were not significant at 4 weeks after ESWT. PET (60°/sec) and TTA (60°/sec, 180°/sec, and 240°/sec) were significantly improved immediately after ESWT. Yet, these changes were not significant at 1 week and 4 weeks after ESWT as well.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower limb spasticity in subacute stroke patients was significantly improved immediately after ESWT. Although the therapeutic effect of ESWT reduced with time and therefore was not significant at 4 weeks after ESWT, the degree of spasticity was lower than that of the baseline. Future studies with a larger sample of patients are warranted in order to verify the protocols which can optimize the effect of ESWT on spasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University Graduate School of Medicine, Jinju, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Jin Hoan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Seungnam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Joong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Heesuk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Eun Shin
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chul Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Min-Kyun
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Oh
keywords: High-energy shock waves; Muscle spasticity; Stroke
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