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Published on: June 12, 2019
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Assessing muscle compliance in stroke with the Myotonometer
Xiaoyan Li1, Henry Shin1, Ya Zong1
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and TIRR Memorial Hermann Research Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Clinical Biomechanics (Bristol, Avon)
|October 25, 2017
Summary
Stroke survivors show reduced biceps muscle compliance on the affected side. Myotonometry effectively detects these biomechanical changes, highlighting altered muscle properties post-stroke.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Stroke significantly impacts muscle function and biomechanical properties.
- The biceps brachii muscle's intrinsic mechanical characteristics after stroke remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in the intrinsic biomechanical properties of the biceps brachii muscle following hemispheric stroke.
- To assess the utility of Myotonometry in quantifying these alterations.
Main Methods:
- Nineteen individuals with chronic hemiplegia were recruited.
- Myotonometry was employed to measure biceps brachii muscle displacement under varying compression forces (2.45N to 19.6N).
- Muscle displacement and compliance were calculated and averaged.
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in muscle displacement and compliance was observed in spastic muscles compared to the contralateral side (p<0.005).
- Specific values: muscle displacement (spastic: 4.51 mm, contralateral: 5.74 mm); compliance (spastic: 0.17 mm/N, contralateral: 0.22 mm/N).
- No significant correlation was found between clinical assessments and myotonometric measurements (p>0.1).
Conclusions:
- Altered muscle compliance in the spastic arm suggests changes in intrinsic mechanical properties post-stroke.
- Myotonometry demonstrates high sensitivity and effectiveness for assessing muscle compliance changes after stroke.
