Effects of muscle stimulating instrument on adult patients with spasticity of lower limbs after microsurgical treatment

Li ZHANG; Yanbing YU; Wei WANG

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

The curative effect is satisfactory for adult patients with spasticity of lower limbs treated with selective posterior rhizotomy and peripheral nerve micro diminution. But how to improve the strength of relevant muscle is the key factor to accelerate recovery of motor function during rehabilitation training.

OBJECTIVE:

To observe the effect of muscle stimulating instrument on the recovery of muscle strength and the improvement of motor function of adults with spasticity of lower limbs during rehabilitation training.

DESIGN:

Case analysis.

SETTING:

Department of Neurosurgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital of Beijing Ministry of Public Health.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 49 adults with spasticity of lower limbs were selected from Department of Neurosurgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital of Beijing Ministry of Public Health from January 2000 to May 2002.There were 37 males and 12 females aged from 19-48 years. Totally 21patients treated with muscle stimulating instrument were determined as treatment group and other 28 patients were determined as control group during rehabilitation training.

METHODS:

One day after operation, conventional rehabilitation training was performed on patients in the treatment group and the control group.Patients in the treatment group were also treated with muscle stimulating instrument three times a day with each for 30 minutes for totally 7 days as a course. There was a three-day interval between treating courses and the rehabilitative time lasted for 6 months. Before rehabilitation training, indexes of patients in the two groups, such as ankle extension, knee flexion and muscle strength of thigh adductor, were recorded and the improvement of muscle strength after 3 and 6 months was followed up.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Average strength of relevant muscle before and after 3-month and 6-month rehabilitation training.

RESULTS:

Totally 49 patients entered the final analysis.①After 3-month and 6-month treatment, indexes of ankle extension, knee flexion and muscle strength of thigh adductor were increased at various degrees.②During 3-month and 6-month treatment,indexes of ankle extension,knee flexion and muscle strength of thigh adductor in the treatment group were obviously higher than those in the control group [3-month treatment(4.2±0.8), (3.7±0.7) degrees; (4.3±0.7), (3.8±0.7) degrees; (4.0±0.7), (3.5±0.5)degrees; 6-month treatment (4.5±0.6), (3.9±0.7) degrees; (4.6±0.7), (4.0±0.5)degrees; (4.4±0.7), (4.0±0.6) degrees, (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01)].

CONCLUSION:

The combination of rehabilitation training and muscle stimulating instrument can accelerate the recovery of muscle strength and motor function in adults with spasticity of lower limbs after microsurgical treatment.