In Tae-Sung, Jung Jin-Hwa, Jung Kyoung-Sim, Cho Hwi-Young
Department of Physical Therapy, Gimcheon University, Gimcheon 39528, Korea.
Department of Occupational Therapy, Semyung University, Jecheon 27136, Korea.
Life (Basel). 2021 May 31;11(6):511. doi: 10.3390/life11060511.
Spasticity is one of the factors that make it more difficult to control posture in stroke patients. Taping has been used to manage muscle stiffness in various musculoskeletal disorders. Recently, it has been used to decrease spasticity in stroke patients, but the effect of taping combined with therapeutic exercise is still unclear. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the sit-to-stand (STS) training combined with taping improves the ankle spasticity, muscle strength, gait speed, and quality of life in stroke patients.
The study recruited 40 stroke patients, who were randomly divided into two groups: the taping and STS training (TSTS) group (n = 20) and the STS group (n = 20). The subjects in the TSTS group underwent STS training with Kinesio taping on the tibialis anterior, calf and ankle joint, whereas the subjects in the STS group underwent only STS training. All participants underwent 30 sessions of STS training (30 minutes, 5 days per week for 6 weeks). The present study evaluated the spasticity of ankle plantar flexors by the mean of the composite spasticity score; the muscle strength and gait speed were evaluated using the handheld dynamometer and the 10-meter walk test, respectively, and the quality of life was assessed using the stroke-specific quality of life scale.
The TSTS group and the STS group showed significant improvements in spasticity, muscle strength, walking speed, and quality of life after the intervention (p < 0.05). The level of improvement in the TSTS group was significantly higher in spasticity, muscle strength, and walking speed compared to the STS group (p < 0.05).
The present study demonstrated that STS training is effective for decreasing spasticity in stroke patients and suggested that additional taping intervention further improved this effect. In addition, improvement of muscle strength and gait function was observed with a significant decrease of ankle spasticity.
痉挛是导致中风患者姿势控制更加困难的因素之一。贴扎已被用于处理各种肌肉骨骼疾病中的肌肉僵硬问题。最近，它也被用于降低中风患者的痉挛程度，但其与治疗性运动相结合的效果仍不明确。本研究的目的是确定坐立位转换（STS）训练结合贴扎是否能改善中风患者的踝关节痉挛、肌肉力量、步态速度和生活质量。
本研究招募了40名中风患者，随机分为两组：贴扎与STS训练（TSTS）组（n = 20）和STS组（n = 20）。TSTS组的受试者在接受STS训练的同时，在胫骨前肌、小腿和踝关节处进行肌内效贴贴扎，而STS组的受试者仅接受STS训练。所有参与者均接受30次STS训练（每次30分钟，每周5天，共6周）。本研究通过综合痉挛评分的平均值评估踝关节跖屈肌的痉挛程度；分别使用手持测力计和10米步行测试评估肌肉力量和步态速度，并使用中风特异性生活质量量表评估生活质量。
干预后，TSTS组和STS组在痉挛、肌肉力量、步行速度和生活质量方面均有显著改善（p < 0.05）。与STS组相比，TSTS组在痉挛、肌肉力量和步行速度方面的改善水平显著更高（p < 0.05）。
本研究表明，STS训练对降低中风患者的痉挛有效，并且额外的贴扎干预进一步增强了这种效果。此外，观察到随着踝关节痉挛的显著减轻，肌肉力量和步态功能也得到了改善。
