Effect of segmental muscle vibration on upper extremity functional ability poststroke: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Stroke Recovery

Background:

• Upper extremity functional impairments are a significant challenge post-stroke.
• Effective interventions are crucial for improving motor recovery and daily living activities.
• Segmental muscle vibration (SMV) offers sensory stimulation to enhance motor cortical excitability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of SMV combined with supervised physical therapy (SPT) on upper extremity function in stroke survivors.
• To assess the effects on activities of daily living and motor recovery in the hemiparetic upper limb.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 37 post-stroke patients.
• Participants received 8 weeks of SPT, with the experimental group also receiving 5-minute SMV post-session.
• Outcome measures included the Barthel Index (BI), modified Ashworth scale, manual muscle testing, and range of motion (ROM).

Main Results:

• Both groups showed significant improvements in BI, elbow ROM, and muscle strength.
• The SPT-SMV group demonstrated a significant improvement in elbow joint muscle tone compared to the SPT-only group.
• Muscle tone improvement was specifically linked to the addition of SMV.

Conclusions:

• Supervised physical therapy (SPT) is effective in enhancing upper extremity function after stroke.
• The addition of segmental muscle vibration (SMV) may provide superior benefits for improving muscle tone in the affected limb.