Top Stroke Rehabil
-
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) to reduce lower limb spasticity in adult stroke survivors. Data Sources: A systematic review of Medline/Pubmed, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PEDro database, REHABDATA, Scielo, Scopus, Web of Science, Trip Database, and Epistemonikos from 1980 to December 2018 was carried out. Review Methods: The bibliography was screened to identify clinical trials (controlled and before-after) that used ESWT to reduce spasticity in stroke survivors. ⋯ MD was 1.5; 95% CI -2.44 to 5.44 at long-term (9 weeks). Conclusion: The ESWT (radial/focused) would be a good non-invasive rehabilitation strategy in chronic stroke survivors to reduce lower limb spasticity, increase ankle range of motion, and improve lower limb function. It does not show any adverse events and it is a safe and effective method.
-
Background: Changes in the paretic-side metabolism post-stroke and quadriceps muscle mechanical properties favour muscle wasting, affecting postural instability and walking impairment. Further clarification is needed in subjects post-stroke who show limited or non-limited community ambulation. Objectives: To analyze between-limb differences in quadriceps muscle thickness, strength and thigh cutaneous temperature, as well as investigate postural stability in subjects with chronic stroke and limited vs. non-limited community ambulation and compared against healthy controls. ⋯ Conclusions: Subjects of the FG, despite showing full community ambulation speed, had less quadriceps strength and VI muscle thickness but not RF muscle wasting in the paretic limb. The paretic VI muscle wasting may be an important factor to reach normal walking. The SG showed between-limb differences in all the studied variables and the worst postural stability.
-
Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Stigma Scale for Chronic Illness (SSCI) in patients with stroke. Methods In total, 220 patients with stroke were recruited to complete the scale. The reliability of the SSCI was evaluated using internal consistency and test-retest methods. ⋯ In terms of convergent validity, the SSCI total scale was moderately correlated to the Barthel Index (BI) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Cronbach's alpha value (internal reliability) for the total SSCI score was 0.949, and the intraclass correlation coefficient value (test-retest reliability) was 0.802. Discussion The results provide initial evidence that the SSCI is a reliable and validated measure for evaluating stigma in stroke patients in China.
-
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) are noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques able to modulate cortical excitability. ⋯ This systematic review with meta-analysis synthesizes moderate-quality evidence that NIBS combined with other therapies are effective to improve gait speed after stroke. Systematic Review registration number: PROSPERO registration number CDR42015024237.
-
Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide. The most common impairment resulting from stroke is upper-limb weakness. ⋯ The study proposes a new scoring method for the upper-limb subscale of the STREAM outcome measure in the acute stroke population.