Impact of Early SEA (Supination, External Rotation, Abduction) Posture on Severity of Post-stroke Upper Limb...

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Post-stroke spasticity is a common complication following stroke.
• Early interventions, such as reflex-inhibiting postures, may mitigate spasticity severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of the SEA (supinated forearm, extended fingers and elbow, abducted and externally rotated shoulder, neutral wrist) posture in preventing upper limb spasticity in acute stroke patients.
• To evaluate the impact of the SEA posture on spasticity severity in individuals with flaccid upper limb weakness post-stroke.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, single-centre, randomized controlled trial involving 76 acute stroke patients within 72 hours of symptom onset.
• Patients received either the SEA posture intervention with splinting plus conventional physiotherapy or conventional physiotherapy alone.
• Spasticity was measured using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) at 3 and 6 months; functional outcomes were assessed with the Barthel Index and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS).

Main Results:

• The SEA posture intervention group demonstrated significantly lower spasticity scores at the elbow, forearm, wrist, and fingers at both 3 and 6 months post-stroke.
• Patients in the intervention group showed significantly improved Barthel Index scores, indicating better functional independence.
• No adverse effects were reported with the use of the SEA posture splinting.

Conclusions:

• The early application of the SEA posture is effective in reducing the severity of upper limb spasticity after acute stroke.
• Implementing the SEA posture can lead to improved functional independence in stroke survivors.
• The SEA posture represents a safe and beneficial early intervention for managing post-stroke spasticity.