Kinesiotaping Combined With Therapeutic Exercise in Upper Extremity Spasticity and Function in Subacute Stroke Patients
Condition: Stroke; Upper Extremity Spasticity
MeSH terms: Muscle Spasticity; Stroke
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Poststroke spasticity (PSS) is one of the common complications in stroke patients who had a
      brain injury leading to limbs weakness and impaired coordination between agonist and
      antagonist contraction. PSS leads some physical impairments and functional deficits. The
      clinical managements for PSS are stretching and range of motion (ROM) exercises,
      antispasticity splint, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, oral medications, local
      injection with phenol or botulism, or surgery. Recently, some investigators tried to use
      Kinesiotaping (KT) for spasticity management or postural control. They found some benefits in
      walking ability and upper extremity function facilitation after stroke.

      40 subacute stroke patients with hemiplegia would be enrolled in this study. These 40
      patients will be randomly divided into the experimental and control groups. In experimental
      group (n=20), the patients will perform combined KT and 15- min stretching exercise for upper
      extremity twice daily and regular rehabilitation program for 3 weeks. In the control group
      (n=20), the patients will perform 15- min stretching exercise for upper extremity twice daily
      and regular rehabilitation program for 3 weeks. Before intervention, immediately and 2 week
      post intervention, all patients will receive associated physical examinations, hand function
      evaluations, and sonography.
    

Detailed description: 
      In this study, 40 subacute stroke patients (duration is 3~6 months after stroke) with
      hemiplegia would be enrolled. Each stroke patient is diagnosed by a neurologist according to
      the history, physical examination, and brain imaging evaluation. These 40 patients would be
      randomly divided into a experimental or a control group. All patients in the control and
      experimental groups will both receive regular rehabilitation therapy including occupational
      therapy (OT) 3 times per week and one hour for one session OT intervention. Additionally, 15-
      min stretching exercise for upper extremity twice daily will be performed for 3 weeks in this
      study. KT intervention in the experimental group: The technique of KT for spastic wrist and
      fingers in stroke patient will be performed from the proximal interphalangeal joints of all
      fingers acted on the extensor carpal and digital muscle groups, with an anchor at the
      proximal one-third forearm. The KT will be applied for 5 days one week for 3 weeks.

      In this study, all patients in the control and experimental groups will receive the following
      evaluations before intervention, immediately post intervention, and 2-week after
      intervention: Physical examinations (modified shworth scale and Tardieu scale), Hand function
      evaluation (Fugl-Meyer Assessment for upper extremity, box and block test, and Minnesota
      Manual Dexterity Test), and Musculoskeletal sonography (sonoelastography and shear wave
      velocity). SPSS software will be used to record and analysis the collecting data.
      Investigators will analyze and compare the findings of physical examinations, upper extremity
      function assessments, and musculoskeletal sonography within and between the experimental and
      control groups before and after interventions.
    

Intervention name(s): Kinesiotaping; stretching exercise; OT rehabilitation program
Intervention type(s): Other; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): The technique of Kinesiotaping for spastic wrists and fingers in stroke patients is performed from the proximal interphalangeal joints of all fingers acted on the extensor carpal and digital muscle groups, with an anchor at the proximal one-third forearm.; 15- min stretching exercise for upper extremity twice daily; regular rehabilitation program for 3 weeks
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Care Provider, Investigator)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: stroke; spasticity; Kinesiotaping; sonography; exercise