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Updated: Jun 22, 2025
The Combined Use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Robotic Therapy for the Upper Limb
Published on: September 23, 2018
Immediate effects of TECAR therapy on lower limb to decrease hypertonia in chronic stroke survivors: a randomized
Laura García-Rueda1, Rosa Cabanas-Valdés2, Carina Salgueiro2,3
1Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Purpose:
To analyze immediate effects of TECAR therapy (TT) to reduce lower limb hypertonia and improve functionality in chronic post-stroke.
Materials And Methods:
It is a single-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. A total of 36 chronic stroke survivors were divided into two groups. The experimental group received a single 30-minute session of TT with functional massage (FM) on lower limb. The control group received a single 30-minute session sham treatment of TT plus FM. The primary outcome measure was hypertonia (Modified Ashworth Scale, MAS). Secondary outcomes were gait speed (4-Meter Walk-Test), standing knee-flexion (Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale IV-item), change in weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion (Ankle Lunge Test, ALT), and functional lower limb strength (5-Times Sit-to-Stand Test). All measurements were performed at baseline, immediately and 30-minutes after treatment.
Results:
There was a group-time interaction in MAS-knee (p = 0.044), MAS-ankle (p = 0.018) and ALT (p = 0.016) between T1 and T0 (p<.0001) and T2 and T0 (p<.0001) for the experimental group. There was a significant increase in ALT between T1 and T0 (p = 0.003) in the control group.
Conclusions:
A single session of TT performed at the same time as FM immediately reduces plantar-flexors and knee-extensor muscle hypertonia and increases change in weight bearing ankle dorsiflexion in chronic stroke survivors.
