The Sonoelastography and Functional Outcome of Upper Extremity after Kinesiotaping on the Spastic Forearm in Patients with Subacute Stroke

OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed at exploring the feasibility of sonoelastography on muscle stiffness of spastic forearm and evaluating the improvement of functional performance in patients with poststroke spasticity (PSS) after receiving kinesiotaping (KT) and rehabilitation. METHODS: According to the spastic levels (using modified Ashworth scale (MAS)) of the affected upper extremity, 59 patients with stroke were allocated into two groups, group A (MAS 0–1): 31 patients (14 men and 17 women; mean age: 60 years) and group B (MAS 1+–2): 28 patients (22 men and 6 women; mean age: 51 years). The Brunnstrom motor recovery stage at the wrist/distal parts in groups A and B was stage 3/3.5 and stage 2.75/3. We evaluated the Brunnstrom stage, spastic levels by MAS and modified Tardieu scale (MTS), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment for upper extremity (FMA-UE). We also evaluated the muscle spasticity of flexor carpi radialis (FCR), flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) muscles using sonoelastography with shear wave velocity (SWV). We applied KT for 20 patients in group B, comparing the changes in sonoelastography and functional outcomes between KT and without KT interventions. RESULTS: Both the MAS and MTS scales were moderately correlated with the SWV in forearm muscles on hemiplegic side (r = 0.336–0.554) After KT intervention, the SWV in FCR decreased (p = 0.028). Muscle spasticity was reduced (p < 0.01), and distal part of the Brunnstrom stage and FMA-UE were increased (p = 0.045 and p = 0.001). In patients without KT intervention, only the MTS degree reduced (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: The SWV of sonoelastography could objectively assess the reduction of muscle stiffness of the affected forearms in patients with PSS after KT intervention. Advances in Knowledge. Sonoelastography could be a quantitative method to follow up for therapeutic effect of the spastic forearm.