• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.164-168
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• 2011

Obturator nerve block has been commonly used for pain management to prevent involuntary reflex of the adductor thigh muscles. One of several options for this block is chemical neurolysis. Neurolysis is done with chemical agents. Chemical agents used in the neurolysis of the obturator nerve have been alcohol, phenol, and botulinum toxin. In the current case, a patient with spasticity of the adductor thigh muscle due to cervical cord injury had obturator nerve neurolysis done with botulinum toxin type B (BoNT-B). Most of the previous studies have used BoNT-A with only a few reports that have used BoNT-B. BoNT-B has several advantages and disadvantages over BoNT-A. Thus, we report herein a patient who successfully received obturator nerve neurolysis using BoNT-B to treat adductor thigh muscle spasm.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2005

We assessed whether the use of a symmetrical upper limb motion trainer in daily repetitive training for a 6-week period reduced spasticity and improved motor function in three chronic hemiparetic patients. Upper limb motor impairment and disability were measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Manual Muscle Test (MMT), respectively. The electromyography (EMG) of the affected hand was recorded during isometric wrist flexion and extension. In all patients, FMA and MMT scores were significantly improved after the 6-week training. However, MAS scores of the affected wrist spasticity did not change considerably. Onset and Offset delays in muscle contraction significantly decreased in the affected wrist. The co-contraction ratio of flexor and extensor muscles significantly increased after the 6-week training. Onset and offset delays of the muscle contraction and co-contraction ratio correlated significantly with the patients' FMA. This study showed that repetitive, symmetric movement training can improve upper limb motor functions and abilities in chronic hemiparetic patients. Also, the EMG assessment of motor response is likely to provide insights into mechanisms and treatment strategies for motor recovery in chronic hemiparetic patients.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.2272-2278
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• 2021

Background: Vibration stimulation has emerged as a treatment tool to help reduce spasticity during physical therapy. Spasticity includes problems of reduced range of motion (ROM) and stiffness. However, the benefits of vibration rolling (VR) on interventions for stroke patients are unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of VR intervention on the ankle ROM and ankle stiffness in stroke patients. Design: A randomized crossover study. Methods: Seven stroke patients completed two test sessions (one VR and one non-VR [NVR]) in a randomized order, with 48 hours of rest between each session. Participants completed intervention and its measurements on the same day. The measurements included ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion ROM and stiffness of ankle muscles, including the tibialis anterior, medial, and lateral gastrocnemius muscle. Results: After VR, ankle dorsiflexion ROM, lateral gastrocnemius stiffness, and medial gastrocnemius stiffness improved significantly (all P<.05). After NVR, only the lateral gastrocnemius stiffness improved significantly (P<.05). Furthermore, in the cases of changed values for ankle dorsiflexion ROM and lateral gastrocnemius stiffness were compared within groups, VR showed a more significant difference than NVR (P<.05) Conclusion: VR improved ankle ROM and muscle stiffness. Therefore, we suggest that practitioners need to consider VR as an intervention to improve dorsiflexion ROM and gastrocnemius stiffness in stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.1740-1748
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of the long-term high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) on the spasticity and the balance in chronic stroke patients. Twenty-six subjects with spasticity over lower limbs were allocated randomly into two groups under standard rehabilitation: (1) TENS group, (2) placebo-TENS group. TENS stimulation was applied on the both the gastrocnemius for 30 minutes, 5 days a week for 4 weeks(100 Hz, 0.25 ms, 2 times sensory threshold). The Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS) and Hand-held manual muscle tester were used to assess the ankle plantarflexor spasticity. Balance function under three conditions was measured by using force-plate and the amount of postural sway was assessed; in (1) the condition of standing with eyes opened, (2) with eyes closed and (3) the condition of standing on unstable surface with eyes opened. Both groups showed significant improvement in spasticity and balance function after treatment for 4 weeks(p<.05). Especially, TENS group showed a significant reduction of spasticity compared to placebo-TENS group(p<.05). These results suggested that additional stimulation of a long-term high-frequency TENS to standard rehabilitation induced an improved balance function and a spasticity reduction. The long-term application of high-frequency TENS will be an effective intervention for reducing spasticity and increasing balance ability in the chronic stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.84-94
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• 1996

This paper reviews physiological changes in the nervous system of patients with hemiparesis that may contribute to muscle weakness. The discussion includes the important role that alterations in the physiology of motor units, notably changes in firing rates and muscle fiber atrophy, play in the manifestation of muscle weakeness. This role is compared with the lesser role that spasticity of the antagonist muscle group appears to play in determining the weakness of agonist muscles. The contribution of other factors that result in mechanical restraint of the agonist by the antagonist is discussed relative to muscle weakness in patients with hemiparesis. More studies on patients with hemiparesis are required to assess what role muscle strength training should play in rehabiliting patients after a stroke.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 1999

Background & Objectives : In cerebral palsy, spastic paraplegia is one of the most crippling motor manifestations. Reducing the spasticity may improve gait and decrease the incidence of lower-extremity deformities. The spasticity may result from abnormally increased afferent signals via dorsal roots onto interneurons and anterior horn and spreading of reflex activation to other muscle groups. To assess the influence of dorsal rhizotomy to spasticity, the authors analyzed five cerebral palsy patients with spastic paraplegia. Methods : The operation entailed and L1-2 laminectomy, ultrasonographic localization of conus medullaris and identification of lumbosacral dorsal roots. The innervation patterns of each dorsal root were examined by electromyography (EMG) responses to electrical stimulation. Tetanic stimulation was applied to individual rootlets of each root after reflex threshold was determined. the reflex responses were graded and rootlets producing high grade response were selected and cut. Short-term postoperative evaluations were performed. Results : Intraoperative EMG monitoring was satisfactorily performed in all five cases. One month after the operations, all patients showed greatly reduced spasticity which was measured by the instrumental gait analysis. Bilateral knee and ankle jerks were normalized and tip-toe gait with scissoring disappeared in all patients. Conclusion : Intraoperative EMG monitoring seems useful for the selective dorsal rhizotomy to reduce spasticity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the effects of local vibration on ankle plantarflexion spasticity and clonus in patients with spinal cord injury. METHODS: The subjects were 14 inpatients with complete or incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) whose scores were higher than 1 on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Spinal Cord Assessment Tool for Spastic Reflexes (SCATS) scale of paraplegia. A randomized single-blind cross-over design was used. Vibration treatment involved a single application of vibration for 10 min in the sitting position, and placebo treatment involved the patient remaining in the sitting position for 10 min. One day after treatment, vibration and placebo treatments were crossed over. Spasticity was measured by using the MAS, and resistance force, by using a hand-held dynamometer; clonus was gauged by using the SCATS scale and clonus burst duration. Additionally, the burst maximal frequency and voluntary ankle dorsiflexion angle of the triceps surae were measured. RESULTS: The application of vibration treatment in the sitting position significantly reduced the MAS scores and resistance force, but significantly increased the dorsiflexion angle of the ankle joint (p<0.05). Furthermore, the vibration treatment diminished the clonus burst duration and SCATS score significantly (p<0.05). Although it reduced the burst maximal frequency of the lateral gastrocnemius and medial soleus, this was significant only for the lateral gastrocnemius. The placebo treatment did not significantly affect any of the test parameters. CONCLUSION: Vibration treatment in the sitting position was effective in cases of spasticity and clonus caused by SCI.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.95-98
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• 2011

Objective : This study aimed to evaluate the surgical outcomes of selective median neurotomy (SMN) for spastic wrist and fingers. Methods : We studied 22 patients with wrist and finger spasticity refractory to optimal oral medication and physical therapy. The authors evaluated spasticity of the wrist and finger muscles by comparing preoperative states with postoperative states using the modified Ashworth scale (MAS). We checked patients for changes in pain according to the visual analog scale (VAS) and degree of satisfaction based on the VAS. Results : The preoperative mean MAS score was $3.27{\pm}0.46$ ($mean{\pm}SD$), and mean MAS scores at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery were $1.82{\pm}0.5$, $1.73{\pm}0.7$, and $1.77{\pm}0.81$ ($mean{\pm}SD$), respectively. On the last follow-up visit, the mean MAS score measured $1.64{\pm}0.9$ ($mean{\pm}SD$). Wrist and finger spasticity was significantly decreased at 3, 6, and 12 months after the operation (p<0.01). The preoperative mean pain VAS score was $5.85{\pm}1.07$ ($mean{\pm}SD$), and the mean pain VAS score on the last follow-up visit after surgery was $2.28{\pm}1.8$ ($mean{\pm}SD$). Compared with the preoperative mean pain VAS score, postoperative mean pain VAS score was decreased significantly (p<0.01). On the basis of a VAS ranging from 0 to 100, the mean degree of patient satisfaction was $64.09{\pm}15.93$ ($mean{\pm}SD$, range 30-90). Conclusion : The authors propose SMN as a possible effective procedure in achieving useful, long-lasting tone and in gaining voluntary movements in spastic wrists and fingers with low morbidity rates.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.90-95
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• 2018

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between gross motor capacity and neuromuscular function in children with cerebral palsy (CP) through a short-term intensive intervention. Methods: Twenty-four children younger than 6 years of age (17 boys, 7 girls, mean $age{\pm}standard$ deviation, $42.71{\pm}14.43months$) who were diagnosed with CP underwent short-term intensive treatment for 8 weeks. An evaluation of gross motor function capacity using the gross motor function measure (GMFM-66 and GMFM-88) was performed to measure muscle strength, selective motor control (SMC), and spasticity, factors related to neuromusculoskeletal function. Changes in spasticity, strength, range of motion, selective motor function, and exercise intensity scores were evaluated in terms of the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS) and ages. Results: The GMFM-88 and GMFM-66 scores significantly increased, by $4.32{\pm}4.04$ and $2.41{\pm}1.51%$, respectively, following the 8-week intervention. The change in the GMFM-66 score did not reflect a statistically significant difference in the GMFCS level. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the GMFM-88 score change in individuals at GMFCS Level III, the strength and spasticity of subjects at GMFCS Levels I-II did not significantly differ (p<0.05). The changes in the GMFM-66 scores for strength, SMC, range of motion (ROM), and spasticity significantly differed according to age (p<0.05) in children aged 36 months and older. Overall, there was a statistically significant difference in strength, SMC, and spasticity (p<0.05) before and after intensive short-term treatment. Conclusion: The 8-week short-term intensive care intervention improved the motor function score of study participants, emphasizing the need for early intervention and additional research in this area.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.4008-4014
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of muscular strength, sensation, and spasticity of the hip joint on balance using clinical tools in chronic stroke patients. Thirty-two subjects participated. It were measured muscular strength of the hip flexor, extensor, abductor, and adductor using manual muscle testing, light touch sensibility, and spasticity of the quadriceps using the modified Ashworth scale in the paretic lower extremity. Also, static and dynamic balance were measured by the functional balance scale. Collected data was analyzed by stepwise multiple regression. Muscular strength of the hip abductor, light touch sensibility, and spasticity were associated with static balance(p<0.05) and explanatory power was 80.5%. Muscular strength of the hip abductor and light touch sensibility were associated with dynamic balance(p<0.05) and explanatory power was 77.9%. Thus, it is suggested that muscular strength of the hip abductor and light touch sensibility is considered when providing evaluation and intervention programs for the future in the balance.