title: [The effect of floating-needle therapy combined with rehabilitation training for the hand function recovery of post-stroke patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the improvement of hand motion function,spasm and self-care ability of daily life for stroke patients treated with floating-needle combined with rehabilitation training.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty hand spasm patients of post-stroke within one year after stroke were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each one. In the two groups, rehabilitation was adopted for eight weeks,once a day,40 min one time. In the observation group, based on the above treatment and according to muscle fascia trigger point, 2~3 points in both the internal and external sides of forearm were treated with floating-needle. The positive or passive flexion and extension of wrist and knuckle till the relief of spasm hand was combined. The floating-needle therapy was given for eight weeks, on the first three days once a day and later once every other day. Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS), activity of daily life(ADL, Barthel index) scores and Fugl-Meyer(FMA) scores were used to assess the spasm hand degree,activity of daily life and hand motion function before and after 7-day, 14-day and 8-week treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 7-day, 14-day and 8-week treatment, MAS scores were apparently lower than those before treatment in the two groups(all P<0. 05), and Barthel scores and FMA scores were obviously higher than those before-treatment(all P<0. 05). After 14-day and 8-week treatment, FMA scores in the observation group were markedly higher than those in the control group(both P<0. 05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Floating-needle therapy combined with rehabilitation training and simple rehabilitation training could both improve hand spasm degree, hand function and activity of daily life of post-stroke patients, but floating-needle therapy combined with rehabilitation training is superior to simple rehabilitation training for the improvement of hand function.
authors.forename: Jiangxia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome