Stroke
Conditions
Keywords
Myofascial release, Chronic stroke, Motor functions, Spasticity, modified Ashworth scale, Fugl-Meyer assessment scale
Brief summary
Impaired motor function and upper extremity spasticity are common concerns in patients after stroke. It is essential to plan therapeutic techniques to recover from the stroke. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of myofascial release with the tennis ball on spasticity and motor functions of the upper extremity in patients with chronic stroke.
Detailed description
Myofascial release is a therapeutic technique that aims to improve flexibility and sliding between layers of soft tissues, reduce the severity of muscle activity pain, and improve functional performance. A previous study included myofascial release with a tennis ball in the lower extremity in patients with chronic stroke and reported improved balance. Different other unique therapeutic interventions have been proposed over the past two decades for stroke management; however, myofascial release with a tennis ball has not been included in them. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effects of myofascial release with a tennis ball on spasticity and motor functions of the upper limb in patients with chronic stroke. Participants were equally divided into two groups viz. experimental and control, with 11 participants in each group.
Interventions
OTHERMyofascial release technique along with conventional physiotherapy exercises
Myofascial release technique was performed using a tennis ball along with conventional physiotherapy exercises.
OTHERConventional physiotherapy exercises
Conventional physiotherapy exercises were performed including the range of motion/flexibility exercises, strength training, postural control, functional exercises, and gait training.
Sponsors
King Saud University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Intervention model description
Two-arm parallel pre-test-post-test experimental design.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Unilateral stroke, * Hemiplegia with upper extremity dysfunctions of more than 6 months and less than 2 years of duration * modified Ashworth scale of grade 1-3, * Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) \>24 suggesting intact cognition, * full passive range of motion of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand joints * voluntary control by Brunnstrom of grade 3-5 for shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints
Exclusion criteria
* circulatory problems such as deep vein thrombosis, * impaired sensation over the affected upper limb, * recently injured area/open wounds, * arthritic or any other musculoskeletal condition of the upper extremity, shoulder instability based on the posterior or anterior apprehension test, and positive sulcus test, * history of brain surgery after stroke, * Botox injection in the past four months, * medically unstable patients, * patients who have had multiple strokes.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Spasticity | 4 weeks. | Spasticity measured using Modified Ashworth scale - Scores range from 0 to 4, where lower scores represent normal muscle tone and higher scores represent spasticity. |
| Upper limb motor functions | 4 weeks. | Upper limb motor functions measured using Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale - Scores range from 0-66, where lower score represent poor performance of upper extremity and higher scores represents good performance of upper extremity |
Countries
Saudi Arabia
Outcome results
None listed