The content validity of the Tardieu Scale and the Ashworth Scale was assessed in 27 independently ambulant children with cerebral palsy (gender: 17 males, 10 females; age: 5-9 years; Gross Motor Function Classification: level I and II). Ashworth and Tardieu Scale scores and laboratory measures of spasticity and contracture were collected from the plantarflexor muscles by 2 examiners who were bl...

BACKGROUND Botulinum toxin type A is a first-line treatment for post-stroke focal spasticity, and the accuracy in delivering the toxin to the target muscles may influence the treatment outcome. Our aim was to compare the reduction of spasticity and the related finger position at rest improvement in post-stroke patients treated with botulinum toxin type A in upper limb muscles using ultrasound g...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Spasticity is a frequently observed motor impairment that develops after stroke; it can cause pain and disability in those affected. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tizanidine, a centrally acting alpha(2)-adrenergic agonist, in the treatment of stroke-related spasticity. METHODS Forty-seven patients, who were a minimum of 6 ...

Association between the site of brain injury and poststroke spasticity is poorly understood. The present study investigated whether lesion analysis could document brain regions associated with the development of severe upper limb poststroke spasticity. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 39 chronic stroke patients. Spasticity was assessed at the affected upper limb with the modified Ashwo...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of tetanic faradic stimulation in an antagonist muscle (tibialis anterior) on agonist muscles (gastro-soleus). In addition, to show the effects of maintaining agonist muscle strength on antagonist spastic muscle group to improve gait parameters in children with spastic hemiplegia. METHODS We carried out the study at Pamukkale University, School of Physical...

Spasticity is one of the common complications in upper motor neuron lesions and without appropriate treatment it causes disturbances in movement pattern. Assessments of patients are effective in patient's management. Modified Ashworth scale (MAS) is one of the criteria in qualitative assessment of spasticity, and there are lots of controversies about its validity. The purpose of this study is t...

Spasticity is a disorder commonly found in people having upper motor neuron lesion and whose involvement can happen at different levels. The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) is the most routinely used instrument in clinical practice to assign spasticity levels. However, due to its inherent subjectivity, inter-evaluator discrepancies arise. Therefore, there are systems that quantitatively evaluate ...

A recent study claimed that botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) injection into the calf muscle of cerebral palsy (CP) children did not change the intrinsic stiffness. Contrary to this recent report, in our case, decreased muscle spasticity, which was measured using a modified Ashworth scale, and increased Gross Motor Function Measure score were demonstrated at 4 weeks after intensive rehabilitation treat...

[Purpose] The purpose of this case series was to determine the effects of robot-assisted hand rehabilitation with a Gloreha device on skeletal muscle perfusion, spasticity, and motor function in subjects with poststroke hemiparesis. [Subjects and Methods] Seven patients, 2 women and 5 men (mean ± SD age: 60.5 ±6.3 years), with hemiparesis (>6 months poststroke), received passive mobilization of...

This pilot study was designed to examine the effects of short-term (48-hr) upper extremity inhibitive casting, with an encased thermoplastic splint, on problems related to upper motor neuron damage. The subject was an 8 1/2-year-old girl with left upper extremity spasticity. Three different measures were used: (a) rating of videotaped active movements of the child; (b) the Modified Ashworth Sca...