title: The relationship between isokinetic muscle strength and spasticity in the lower limbs of stroke patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study the relationship between degree of spasticity and strength of knee extensor and ankle plantar flexor muscles of post stroke hemiparetic patients has been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The participants of this study were 40 stroke patients whose elapsed time of stroke onset was at least 3 months. Their age averaged 59 years. Spasticity was measured with the Modified Ashworth Scale. Isokinetic muscle strength was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. Two methods of torque normalization - subtractive and weight based normalization - were used for comparing torques among participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Kendall's tau-b coefficient was calculated for investigating this relationship. This coefficient was not significant for the relationship between weight based normalized data and modified Ashworth scale (MAS) in any of each muscle groups (α = 0.05). This coefficient was significant for the relationship between the subtractive normalization method and MAS in knee extensors (P = 0.005, α = 0.01) and ankle plantar flexors (P = 0.002, α = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests a negative relationship between spasticity and muscle strength and provided evidence that spastic muscles are weaker.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abdollahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taghizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shakeri
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Tabriz Medical Sciences University, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eivazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, School of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: Shapour.jaberzadeh@monash.edu.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaberzadeh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000842:Ankle / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee / Q000503:physiopathology; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D053581:Muscle Strength Dynamometer; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Isokinetic; Muscle strength; Spasticity; Stroke