ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: On the basic therapy, to assess the clinical effects of dynamic scalp acupuncture, scalp acupuncture combined with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) therapy and simple PNF therapy for upper limb motor impairment in ischemic post-stroke spastic hemiplegia. METHODS: A total of 90 cases were randomly assigned into a PNF group, a dynamic scalp acupuncture group and a scalp acupuncture group, 30 cases in each group. Basic therapy and PNF therapy were applied in the three groups. PNF therapy was used during scalp acupuncture in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group. PNF therapy was applied after scalp acupuncture in the scalp acupuncture group. The points were the upper 1/5 and middle 2/5 of Dingnieqianxiexian (MS 6) and Dingniehouxiexian (MS 7) at the lesion side, the hemiparalysis contralateral side. The treatment was given for 6 months, once a day and 1 month as a course. The modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA) and Barthel index (BI) were observed before treatment and 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after treatment. RESULTS: The MAS 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were improved compared with those before treatment in the three groups ( all P<0.05), and the MAS results in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group were better than those in the PNF and scalp acupuncture group (all P<0.05). The FMA and BI scores 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were higher than those before treatment (all P<0.05). The FMA Scores in the 3 time points and after treatment in the dynamic scalp acupuncture group were higher than those in the other two groups (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: PNF therapy during scalp acupuncture can relieve the spasmodic condition of patients with upper limb motor impairment in ischemic post-stroke spasmodic hemiplegia, and improve the limb function and life activity, which is better than PNF therapy after scalp acupuncture and simple PNF therapy.
