Extracorporeal shock wave as adjuvant therapy for wrist and hand spasticity in post-stroke patients: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Stroke patients often present with upper limb spasticity which impairs the functional status of patients. Recently, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is reported to be a safe, non-invasive, alternative treatment for spasticity. Many articles have been published on effect ESWT lower spasticity, but only few them had focused so aim this study evaluate clinical and electrophysiological wrist hand chronic stroke its impact performance. In monocentric study, forty were recruited randomly allocated into two groups. Both groups continued receive conventional rehabilitative program, while group I received three sessions radial (rESWT) 1 week apart. Results There was significant decrease in after at follow-up compared II (Modified Ashworth Scale rESWT 1.45 ± 0.16, 2.90 0.18 1.55 0.13, 3.00 .0.15 II, respectively). Also, there improvement control function ( p < 0.001). The pinch grip noticed difference relative baseline 0.05). Hmax/Mmax ratio significantly decreased Conclusion valuable adjuvant reflected as activity. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04312581 . Registered 18 March 2020.