Dry needling at myofascial trigger points mitigates chronic post-stroke shoulder spasticity

Post-stroke spasticity is associated with restriction in the range of motion of the shoulder.Reducing muscular dystrophy may help relieve muscular dysfunction in patients with post-stroke shoulder spasticity.Dry needle therapy is a method of needling the trigger points using a syringe needle without the use of a drug.Dry needle therapy is commonly used for pain at the shoulder,neck,waist,and back.In this case study,a 62-year-old male patient affected with cerebral hemorrhage of the right frontal lobe had received rehabilitative treatment for 12 years.However,he still experienced shoulder spasticity.The patient received daily dry needling at the trigger points of infraspinatus,teres minor,posterior deltoid,and pectoralis major on 9 days.After the first and ninth treatment,the Modified Ashworth Scale and the passive range of motion of the shoulder was used to assess the effect of the treatment.The spasticity and range of motion of the shoulder showed obvious improvement.These results indicate that dry needling at the myofascial trigger points can effectively treat chronic poststroke shoulder spasticity.

Effects of paired associative magnetic stimulation between nerve root and cortex on motor function of lower limbs after spinal cord injury:study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Classic paired associative stimulation can improve synaptic plasticity,as demonstrated by animal expe riments and human clinical trials in spinal cord injury patients.Paired associative magnetic stimulation(dual-target peripheral and central magnetic stimulation)has been shown to promote neurologic recove ry after stroke.However,it remains unclear whether paired associative magnetic stimulation can promote recovery of lower limb motor dysfunction after spinal cord injury.We hypothesize that the curre nt caused by central and peripheral magnetic stimulation will conve rge at the synapse,which will promote synapse function and improve the motor function of the relevant muscles.Therefore,this study aimed to examine the effects of paired associative magnetic stimulation on neural circuit activation by measuring changes in motor evoked and somatosensory evoked potentials,motor and sensory function of the lower limbs,functional health and activities of daily living,and depression in patients with spinal co rd injury.We will recruit 110 thora cic spinal trauma patients treated in the Department of Spinal Cord Injury,China Rehabilitation Hospital and randomly assign them to expe rimental and control groups in a 1:1 ratio.The trial group(n=55)will be treated with paired associative magnetic stimulation and conventional rehabilitation treatment.The control group(n=55)will be treated with sham stimulation and co nventional rehabilitation treatment.Outcomes will be measured at four time points:baseline and 4,12,and 24 wee ks after the start of inte rvention(active or sham paired associative magnetic stimulation).The primary outcome measure of this trial is change in lower limb American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale motor function score from baseline to last follow-up.Secondary outcome measures include changes in lower limb American Spinal Injury Association sensory function sco re,motor evoked potentials,sensory evoked potentials,modified Ashwo rth scale score,Maslach Burnout Invento ry score,and Hamilton Depression Scale score over time.Motor evoked potential latency reflects corticospinal tract transmission time,while amplitude reflects recruitment ability;both measures can help elucidate the mechanism underlying the effect of paired associative magnetic stimulation on synaptic efficiency.Adve rse events will be recorded.Findings from this trial will help to indicate whether paired associative magnetic stimulation(1)promotes recove ry of lower limb sensory and motor function,reduces spasticity,and improves quality of life;(2)promotes neurologic recovery by increasing excitability of spinal cord motor neurons and stimulating synaptic plasticity;and(3)improves rehabilitation outcome in patients with spinal cord injury.Recruitment for this trial began in April 2021 and is currently ongoing.It was approved by the Ethics Committee of Yangzhi Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of Tongji University,China(approval No.YZ2020-018)on May 18,2020.The study protocol was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(registration number:ChiCTR2100044794)on March 27,2021(protocol version 1.0).This trial will be completed in April 2022.

Study on The Likelihood Ratio Used to Evaluate the Muscle Tension of Upper Limb Spasm in Hemiplegia Patients

Aim:To evaluate the clinical usability of mechanomyography(MMG)in the evaluation of upper-limb spasticity states of hemiplegia patients with likelihood ratio analysis.Methods:The MMG signals from the 30 hemiplegia patients'biceps and triceps were recorded with three-dimensional wireless accelerometer(Trigno Wireless System,Delsys Inc),when they extended or bent their elbow passively.At the same time,the physiotherapist assessed the MAS(Modified Ashworth Scale)of all the patients who participated in the study and would be divided them into four groups based on the MAS values(MAS0,MAS1,MAS1+and MAS2).The MMG sensors were built with triaxial accelerometers named as X,Y and Z that represent the muscle fibers lengthwise movement,the cross movement and the vertical the muscle moving direction,respectively.The root mean square(RMS)value of the MMG signal was calculated for analysis.Likelihood ratio analysis were used in the study.Results:All of the variables of the X,Y,Z axis of signals of MMG of BB and TB have related with muscle spasticity grading during passive elbow flexion in multinomial logistic regression(P=0.000,P<0.001).The regression coefficient of Y axis signal of MMG of BB is the largest.The 5 variables of the X,Y,Z axis of signals of MMG of BB and X,Y axis of TB have related with Muscle spasticity grading during passive elbow extension in multinomial logistic regression(P=0.000,P<0.001).The regression coefficient ofY axis signal of MMG of BB is the largest in equation and the Y axis signal of MMG of TB is second large.Conclusions:The effect of agonist is more than the antagonist during the MAS assessment,especially the muscle fibers cross movement and the vertical movement by the MMG assessment.