ABSTRACT
The Modified Tardieu Scale [MTS] is a clinical scale for measuring the degree of muscle spasticity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the MTS in measuring poststroke knee extensor spasticity. This was a cross-sectional study performed in 2012 at a university clinic of neurological physiotherapy in Tehran, Iran, with repeated measurements. In the present study, 15 poststroke patients with a mean age of 53.8 +/- 14.0 years and mean time since stroke of 40.0 +/- 32.2 months participated. The knee extensor muscle spasticity was assessed using the MTS to calculate the R2-R1 as the main clinical measure. To calculate the work, an isokinetic dynamometer was used to quantify torque-angle data during passive movements at 4 speeds [60°, 120°, 180°, and 240°/sec]. The linear regression was used to calculate the slope for the work-velocity data [Joule/[degree/sec]]. There were significant differences between works done by the dynamometer at four speeds; as the speed increased the work decreased [P < 0.01]. Mean [standard deviation] slope for the work-velocity data was -0.76 [0.78]. There was no significant correlation between the dynamic component of MTS [R2-R1] and slope for the work-velocity data. The results indicate that the MTS might not be a valid measure for assessing knee extensor muscle spasticity in this sample of patients after stroke