Comprehensive Rehabilitation Therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined with Modern Rehabilitation Training Improves the Spasticity and Motor Function of Hemiplegia after Stroke

Objective:To analyze the impact of comprehensive rehabilitation therapy of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)(based on modern rehabilitation training)on the spasticity and motor function in stroke patients with hemiplegia.Methods:Seventy-nine stroke and hemiplegia patients admitted to the hospital from June 2021 to June 2023 were selected and randomly divided into a control group(39 cases)using modern rehabilitation training,and an observation group combined with comprehensive TCM rehabilitation therapy(40 cases),over 1 month.The clinical index data of the two groups were compared.Results:There were differences in the clinical index data between the two groups.The total effective rate after 2 treatment in the observation group(92.50%)was higher than that of the control group(74.36%)(χ^(2)=4.727,P<0.05).All central sensitization inventory(CSI)and stroke quality of life(PRO)scores in both groups were lower after treatment,with the observation group having lower scores as compared to the control group(P<0.05).The scores of FMA(upper limbs,lower limbs),Barthel index scores,and Functional Ambulation Categories(FAC)scores of both groups increased after treatment,with the observation group having higher scores as compared to the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Comprehensive TCM rehabilitation therapy had a significant therapeutic effect on patients with hemiplegia after stroke.It improved the patient’s spasticity,limb movement,and walking function.Their daily living abilities and quality of life were also enhanced.

Analysis of the Effect of Limb Rehabilitation Therapy Combined with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy on Muscle Activity in Patients with Upper Limb Dysfunction After Cerebral Infarction

Objective:To analyze the effect of limb rehabilitation therapy combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy on muscle activity in patients with upper limb dysfunction after cerebral infarction(CI).Methods:320 patients with upper limb dysfunction after CI were selected,all of whom were treated in our hospital between June 2021 and June 2023.They were randomly grouped according to the lottery method into the control group(limb rehabilitation therapy,160 cases)and the intervention group(transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy+limb rehabilitation therapy,160 cases).The upper limb function scores,neuro-electrophysiological indicators,daily living ability scores,and quality of life scores of the two groups were compared.Results:Compared with the control group,upper limb function scores and daily living ability scores in the intervention group were higher after treatment,and the neuro-electrophysiological indicators of the intervention group were lower after treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion:Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy combined with limb rehabilitation therapy has significant effects in patients with upper limb dysfunction after CI and is worthy of promotion and application.

Effects of early rehabilitation therapy on patients with mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND: For patients in intensive care unit(ICU), mechanical ventilation is an effective treatment to survive from acute illness and improve survival rates. However, long periods of bed rest and restricted physical activity can result in side effects. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of early rehabilitation therapy in patients with mechanical ventilation.METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was carried out. Sixty patients, with tracheal intubation or tracheostomy more than 48 hours and less than 72 hours, were admitted to the ICU of the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, from May 2010 to May 2012. These patients were randomly divided into a rehabilitation group and a control group. In the rehabilitation group, rehabilitation therapy was performed twice daily, and the training time and intensity were adjusted according to the condition of the patients. Early rehabilitation therapy included heading up actively, transferring from the supine position to sitting position, sitting at the edge of the bed, sitting in chair, transferring from sitting to standing, and ambulating bedside. The patient's body mass index, days to first out of bed, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, APACHE II score, highest FiO2, lowest PaO2/FiO2 and hospital mortality of patients were all compared between the rehabilitation group and the control group. The differences between the two groups were compared using Student's t test.RESULTS: There was no significant difference in body mass index, APACHE II score, highest FiO2, lowest PaO2/FiO2 and hospital mortality between the rehabilitation group and the control group(P>0.05). Patients in the rehabilitation group had shorter days to first out of bed(3.8±1.2 d vs. 7.3±2.8 d; P=0.00), duration of mechanical ventilation(5.6±2.1 d vs. 12.7±4.1 d; P=0.005) and length of ICU stay(12.7±4.1 d vs. 15.2±4.5 d; P=0.01) compared with the control group.CONCLUSION: Early rehabilitation therapy was feasible and effective in improving the outcomes of patients with mechanical ventilation.

Effectiveness and Influencing Factors of Comprehensive Rehabilitation Therapy in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of comprehensive rehabilitation for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and to explore the factors influencing the prognosis of rehabilitation. This was a retrospective study. Twenty-five patients with aSAH were treated with physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive therapy, music therapy, Chinese acupuncture, hyperbaric oxygen, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. The general data of all patients were collected, and the functional scores at admission were compared with those at discharge. The Mini Mental State Examination, Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMAS) for motor and balance assessment, Holden Functional Ambulation Classification (FAC), modified Rankin Scale, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Modified Barthel Index for activities of daily living (ADL), and Glasgow Outcome Scale were significantly improved among 25 patients with aSAH after 1 month of comprehensive rehabilitation training. Hydrocephalus was an independent factor of the ability to perform ADLs (odds ratio, 0.29;95% confidence interval, 2.03. 3.15;p = 0.000). The improvement of ADLs in aSAH patients was not related to sex, surgical method, aneurysm location, age, or smoking status. Comprehensive and professional rehabilitation is effective for the cognition, movement, walking, ADLs, and functional prognosis of patients with aSAH, while early hydrocephalus may be a risk factor for poor ADLs.

Research progress in spasmodic torticollis rehabilitation treatment

Spasmodic torticollis(ST)is a focal dystonia that affects adults,causing limited muscle control and impacting daily activities and quality of life.The etiology and curative methods for ST remain unclear.Botulinum toxin is widely used as a firstline treatment,but long-term usage can result in reduced tolerance and adverse effects.Rehabilitation therapy,with its minimal side effects and low potential for harm,holds significant clinical value.This article explores the effectiveness of adjunctive therapies,including exercise therapy,transcranial magnetic stimulation,shockwave therapy,neuromuscular electrical stimulation,vibration therapy,electromyographic biofeedback,and acupuncture,in the treatment of ST.The aim is to provide clinicians with additional treatment options and to discuss the efficacy of rehabilitation therapy for ST.

Physiotherapy for patients with depression:Recent research progress

Depression,a common mental illness,seriously affects the health of individuals and has deleterious effects on society.The prevention and treatment of depression has drawn the attention of many researchers and has become an important social issue.The treatment strategies for depression include drugs,psychotherapy,and physiotherapy.Drug therapy is ineffective in some patients and psychotherapy has treatment limitations.As a reliable adjuvant therapy,physiotherapy compensates for the shortcomings of drug and psychotherapy and effectively reduces the disease recurrence rate.Physiotherapy is more scientific and rigorous,its methods are diverse,and to a certain extent,provides more choices for the treatment of depression.Physiotherapy can relieve symptoms in many ways,such as by improving the levels of neurobiochemical molecules,inhibiting the inflammatory response,regulating the neuroendocrine system,and increasing neuroplasticity.Physiotherapy has biological effects similar to those of antidepressants and may produce a superimposed impact when combined with other treatments.This article summarizes the findings on the use of physiotherapy to treat patients with depression over the past five years.It also discusses several methods of physiotherapy for treating depression from the aspects of clinical effect,mechanism of action,and disadvantages,thereby serving as a reference for the in-depth development of physiotherapy research.

Chinese Medicine Involving Triple Rehabilitation Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis in 696 Outpatients:A Multi-Center,Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:To determine the effects of Chinese medicine(CM)involving triple rehabilitation therapy on the progression of knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods:A total of 722 patients recruited from 38 community health service centers located in China from March 2013 to March 2017 were randomly divided into treatment and control groups equally,using a cluster randomization design.Health education combined with CM involving triple rehabilitation therapy for KOA(electro-acupuncture,Chinese medicinal herb fumigating-washing,and traditional exercises)was administered in the treatment group while conventional rehabilitation therapy(physical factor therapy,joint movement training,and muscle strength training)was administered in the control group.Patients with a visual analog scale(VAS)scores>A were treated with dispersible meloxicam tablets(7.5 mg,once daily).The Lequesne index scores,VAS scores,range of motion(ROM),lower limb muscle strength,knee joint circumference,quantitative scores of KOA symptoms,and the short-form 36 item health survey questionnaire(SF-36)scores were measured for each patient at 5 checkpoints(before treatment,at the 2nd week and the 4th week during the 4-week treatment period,at 1 month and 3 months after end of treatment),and adverse reactions were observed also.Results:A total of 696 patients completed the entire process,with 351 in the treatment group and 345 in the control group.At all treatment checkpoints,the treatment group demonstrated better outcomes than the control group with regard to the total Lequesne index scores,effective rate and improvement rate of the total Lequesne index scores,VAS scores,lower limb muscle strength,knee circumference,quantitative scores of KOA symptoms,and SF-36 scores as well(P<0.05 or P<0.01).No adverse reactions were encountered in this study.Conclusions:CM involving triple rehabilitation therapy can alleviate KOA-related pain and swelling,improve lower limb muscle strength,promote flexion and activity of the knee and improve the quality of life in patients undergoing KOA.It is suitable for patients with early or mid-stage KOA.(Registration No.ChiCTR-TRC-12002538)

Implementation outcomes of a sensory integration therapy program with computerized dynamic posturography in patients with balance and sensory dysfunction

Objective:We describe the first-year implementation experience of an Instrumented Sensory Integration Therapy Program in Audiological&Balance Center patients.Design:This is a retrospective descriptive study.Participants included Seventy-three adults with diagnoses of acute,episodic,or chronic vestibular syndromes.They were classified into the following two groups:group 1 included 46 individuals treated with ISIT plus VRT,and group 2 included 27 individuals treated only with ISIT.Results:The Sensory Organization Test(SOT)for both groups showed a statistical significance for all three sensory inputs;visual systems(G1:p=0.0003;G2:p=0.0337),vestibular system(G1:p<0.0001;G2:p=0.0003),and balance as demonstrated by compound balance score(G1:p<0.0001;G2:p=0.0035),and balance percentage deficit(G1:p<0.0001;G2:p=0.0078).Conclusions:The severity and complexity of functional neurological disorders in the context of vestibular syndromes seem to require between 10 and 20 therapy sessions,and combined ISIT plus VRT appears to be more effective than ISIT as a monotherapy.

Fortuitous benefits of activity-based rehabilitation in stem cell-based therapy for spinal cord repair: enhancing graft survival

Traumatic injuries to spinal cord elicit diverse signaling pathways leading to unselective and complex pathological outcomes：death of multiple classes of neural cells,formation of cystic cavities and glial scars,disruption of axonal connections,and demyelination of spared axons,all of which can contribute more or less to debilitating functional impairments found in patients with spinal cord injury.

Fundamental problems in rehabilitation robots based on neuro-machine interaction

Study results in the last decades show that amount and quality of physical exercises,then the active participation,and now the cognitive involvement of patient in rehabilitation training are crucial to enhance recovery outcome of motor dysfunction patients after stroke.Rehabilitation robots mainly have been developed along this direction to satisfy requirements of recovery therapy,or focused on one or more of the above three points.Therefore,rehabilitation robot based on neuro-machine interaction has been proposed for the paralyzed limb training of post-stroke patient,which utilizes motor related EEG,UCSDI(Ultrasound Current Source Density Imaging),EMG for the robot control and feeds back the multi-sensory interaction information such as visual,auditory,force,haptic sensation to the patient simultaneously.This neuro-controlled and perceptual rehabilitation robot will bring great benefits to post-stroke patients.In order to develop such a kind of rehabilitation robot,some key technologies,such as non-invasive precise measurement and decoding of neural signals,realistic sensation feedback,coordinated control for both the rehabilitation robot and the patient,need to be solved.In this paper,some fundamental problems in developing and optimizing such a kind of rehabilitation robot based on neuro-machine interaction are proposed and discussed.

Treatment of Severe Gluteal Muscle Contracture in Children

To investigate the efficacy of a combination therapy on gluteal muscle contracture, 286 definitely diagnosed patients were subjected to surgical treatment, and then functional exercises and physical therapy. The patients with severe symptoms were asked to have a set of specially-designed functional exercises. All the patients were followed up for 3 to 24 months by hospital visit, correspondence or telephone interview. The effective rate was 100%, and the curative rate was up to 94.6%. Few patients developed complications and relapse was rare. It is concluded that the combination therapy, including surgical removal of diseased tissues, functional exercises and physical therapy, is an effective approach for the treatment of severe juvenile gluteal muscle contracture.