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Published on: June 12, 2019
Biomechanical investigation of the modified Tardieu Scale in assessing knee extensor spasticity poststroke
Samaneh Gholami1, Noureddin Nakhostin Ansari2,3,4, Soofia Naghdi2,3,4
1School of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Objective:
The modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) is a clinical tool for the measurement of muscle spasticity. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the MTS and the slope of the work-velocity curve as a biomechanical measure in assessing knee extensor muscle spasticity in patients with stroke.
Methods:
Thirty patients with stroke (22 female, 8 male; mean age 55.4 ± 12.0 years) participated in this study. The knee extensor spasticity was assessed with the MTS. An isokinetic dynamometer was used to move the knee passively from full extension to 90° flexion at speeds of 60°/s, 120°/s, 180°/s, and 240°/s to collect torque-angle data. The slope of the work-velocity curve was calculated using linear regression [J/(°/s)].
Results:
The mean of R2-R1 component of MTS was 19.73 (SD 29.85). The mean work significantly decreased as the speed increased (p < .001). The mean (SD) slope for the work-velocity curve was -0.83 (SD 0.73, range -2.6-0.3). There was no significant relationship between the R2 -R1 and the slope of work-velocity curve (r = 0.09, p = .62).
Conclusions:
The lack of significant relationship between the MTS and the slope of work-velocity curve may question the usefulness of the MTS as a valid measure of muscle spasticity after stroke.
