F-Wave Waveform Values Based on the Correlation Coefficient of Each Waveform Increased Following Improved Voluntary Movements in a Patient with Cerebrovascular Disease: A Case Study with Long-term Follow-up

To investigate the effect of physical therapy on F-wave characteristics in a patient with cerebrovascular disease, we tested the relationship between F-wave waveforms and the recovery of voluntary movement on the affected side. We measured F-waves of affected thenar muscles after stimulating the affected median nerve at the wrist in a left hemiplegia patient (female, 60 years old) with cerebrovascular disease. We analysed the F/M amplitude ratio and Fwave waveform values from 30 trials. F-wave waveform values were determined as follows. We calculated the correlation coefficient of each waveform and defined identifying F-waves as those with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.9. We determined the number of different wave forms from the number of identifying waveforms. F-waves were tested three times at 9, 52, and 70 months from sideration. The patient underwent physical therapy twice a week, with each session lasting 20 min. The F/M amplitude ratio gradually decreased and the number of F-wave waveform types gradually increased. Muscle tonus and voluntary movements of the affected arm gradually improved with physical therapy. In this patient with cerebrovascular disease, F-wave waveform values in her affected arm gradually increased as muscle tonus and voluntary movements of the arm improved.