Context/objective: For persons with spinal cord injury, spasticity commonly interferes with activities of daily living such as transfers. Electromyography can be used to objectively measure muscle spasms during transfers, but how electromyographic measures relate to the impact spasticity has on life, or to clinically-rated spasticity, is unclear. We aimed to characterize relationships among spasm duration and magnitude, impact of spasticity on daily life, and a clinical measure of extensor spasticity, as well as to determine reliability of the electromyographic measures.
Design: Participants (N=19) underwent electromyographic measurements of involuntary muscle activity (spasm duration and magnitude) evoked in quadriceps muscles during transfers on two days. Impact of spasticity on daily life was measured with the Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Evaluation Tool. Clinically-rated spasticity severity was measured with the Spinal Cord Assessment Tool for Spastic reflexes.
Results: No significant associations were found between impact of spasticity and spasm duration, spasm magnitude, or clinical extensor spasticity score. Absolute and normalized spasm duration were positively associated with clinical extensor spasticity score (rho=0.510-0.667, P < 0.05). Spasm measures during transfers had good to excellent day-to-day reliability (rho=0.656-0.846, P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Electromyographic and clinical measures of involuntary activity in the lower extremity do not significantly relate to perceived impact of spasticity on daily life. However, quadriceps spasm duration during transfers is related to clinically-rated extensor spasticity. Electromyography is a reliable method of quantifying quadriceps spasms during transfers. Future investigations should identify factors that influence the impact of spasticity on life, which may help direct treatment strategies to reduce problematic impact.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10790268.2017.1400727 | DOI Listing |
Br J Pharmacol
January 2025
Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
Background And Purpose: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a neurological condition that affects motor and sensory functions below the injury site. The consequences of SCI are devastating for the patients, and although significant efforts have been done in the last years, there is no effective therapy. Baclofen has emerged in the last few years as an interesting drug in the SCI field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Biol Methods
September 2024
C.N.S. Alliance Research Group, Athens 19400, Greece.
Bladder dysfunction is a common clinical problem in stroke patients and a strong prognostic factor of disability and exerts an enormous impact on health and economy. The aim of this narrative review was tο examine the pathophysiological mechanisms of lower urinary tract symptoms after stroke, as well as the relevant clinical anatomy. Normal micturition is achieved through complex coordination between brain regions, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, and anatomic brain connectivity is crucial to lower urinary tract physiology.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Rehabil Sci
January 2025
Department of Life Sciences, Health, and Health Professions, Link Campus University, Rome, Italy.
Purpose: The purpose of this case was to investigate objectively and quantitatively the effects of the application of repeated focal muscle vibration (fMV) associated with neurocognitive exercise on a 46-year-old patient with spastic paraparesis secondary to the surgical removal of a C5-C6 ependymoma.
Methods: We have evaluated gait parameters, spasticity, and pain with clinical scales. We have applied focal muscle vibration on quadriceps femoris, hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and iliopsoas muscles bilaterally.
Gait Posture
January 2025
Department of Orthopaedics, BC Children's Hospital, 4500 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada; The Motion Lab, Sunny Hill Health Centre, 4480 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada; University of British Columbia, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, 317 - 2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.
Background: Split tendon transfer of the posterior tibialis (SPOTT) is a surgical procedure in which the split posterior tibialis tendon is transferred posterior to the fibula (PO) with insertion on the peroneus brevis tendon to rebalance the forces across the hindfoot. Routing of the split tendon through the interosseous membrane (IO) is a variation with the potential benefit of augmenting ankle dorsiflexion in swing.
Research Question: Does IO routing improve ankle dorsiflexion in swing and/or varus in stance compared to PO routing?
Methods: A retrospective chart review was completed to identify forty-two patients who underwent a SPOTT procedure for equinovarus foot deformity.
J Spinal Cord Med
January 2025
Department of Research, Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Bjørnemyr, Norway.
Objectives: Assess pateint-reported effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) on spasticity after multiple treatment.
Design: An uncontrolled prospective case series study.
Setting: A rehabilitation hospital.
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