Electroacupuncture may help motor recovery in chronic stroke survivors: a pilot study.

Past studies have suggested that acupuncture may reduce spasticity in stroke survivors. We do not know, however, whether acupuncture may enhance the effect of strength training on motor function. This study compared upper-limb motor functional improvement in chronic stroke survivors who received a combination of acupuncture and strength training with that of subjects who received strength training alone. A total of 10 chronic stroke patients with moderate or severe wrist muscle spasticity were recruited for this study. The study used a crossover design with a random order of either combined electroacupuncture and strength training or strength training alone. Each subject received one of the two types of treatment twice a week for the first 6 weeks and switched to the other for another 6 weeks. Quantitative measurements of wrist spasticity, active wrist extension range of motion, isometric wrist strength, and clinical evaluation with Fugl-Meyer (FM) upper-limb motor scores were conducted before and after either treatment. After the combined treatment, the quantitative spasticity level, active wrist extension range of motion (increased by a mean of 16.3 degrees), and FM upper-limb motor score (increased by a mean of 4.9 points) changed significantly (p < 0.01) but no significant changes were noted in isometric wrist strength. The strength training alone resulted in no significant changes to any measured variable. The results of the current study indicate that the combined acupuncture and strength training treatment reduced muscle spasticity and may have improved motor function for chronic stroke survivors with moderate or severe muscle spasticity.

The effect of electro-acupuncture on spasticity of the wrist joint in chronic stroke survivors.

OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively assess the change in spasticity of the impaired wrist joint in chronic stroke patients after electro-acupuncture treatment. DESIGN: Crossover design. SETTING: University medical center research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Seven chronic stroke subjects (age, 63.14+/-7.01y). INTERVENTION: Participants received two 6-week treatment regimens: combined electro-acupuncture and strengthening twice a week, and strengthening twice a week only. Muscle strength and spasticity of the wrist joint were quantified by using the Biodex multijoint System 3 Pro. Electro-acupuncture was given through a commercial electro-acupuncture device. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Velocity sensitivity of averaged speed-dependent reflex torque (VASRT); segmented averaged speed-dependent reflex torque (SASRT); Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores; and integrated electromyographic activity of the affected wrist flexors during passive stretch of the affected wrist joint. RESULTS: VASRT was reduced significantly in the combined treatment group (P=.02) after the 6-week period, but not in the strengthening-only group (P=.23); however, no significant immediate effect of electro-acupuncture was observed (P>.05). MAS scores also showed a significant reduction (P<.01). SASRT did not differ significantly across different positions of the joint or across velocity; however, significant differences were present between the 2 treatment groups (P<.05) for each position and at all the velocities except at 20 degrees /s. Integrated electromyographic activity showed a trend for reduction after the combined treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of electro-acupuncture and muscle strengthening exercise for 6 weeks significantly reduced spasticity. The effect of spasticity reduction was consistent across different joint positions and different velocities of passive stretch.