Anti-spastic effects of footbaths in post-stroke patients: a proof-of-principle study.

Complement Ther Med

Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan.

Published: December 2014

Objectives: To investigate whether a footbath inhibits spasticity in the hemiplegic lower limbs of post-stroke patients.

Design: Randomized, controlled study.

Setting: Rehabilitation education and research hospital.

Interventions: Twenty-two post-stroke patients were randomly allocated to control or experimental groups. After relaxing in a supine posture for 30min, the experimental group subject's legs were immersed in 41°C water below the knee joint for 15min, while the control group remained in a resting posture.

Main Outcome Measures: Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) scores of the affected triceps surae muscle and F-wave parameters (i.e., F-wave amplitude, F/M ratio, and F-wave persistence) were recorded before, immediately after, and 30min after each intervention. Physiological parameters were simultaneously monitored to determine the thermo-therapeutic mechanisms and side effects of footbath usage.

Results: At the time immediately after the intervention, F-wave amplitudes decreased significantly in the experimental group, compared to the control group (p<0.01, difference: -106.8; 95% CI; -181.58 to -32.09). F-wave amplitudes decreased significantly after 30-min intervention in the experimental group, with a total reduction of 161.2μV being recorded compared to 8.8μV increase in the control group (p<0.01, difference: -170.0; 95% CI; -252.73 to -87.33). There were also significant differences between the experimental and control group for both F/M ratio and F-wave persistence, immediately after and 30min after the intervention. Further, there were significant differences between the experimental and control group for the MAS scores immediately after the intervention (p<0.05, difference: -0.72; 95% CI; -1.262 to -0.193), and 30min after the intervention (p<0.05, difference: -0.73; 95% CI; -1.162 to -0.293).

Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that the use of footbaths is an effective non-pharmacological anti-spastic treatment for use in stroke rehabilitation.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2014.09.006DOI Listing

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