Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: Aug 28, 2019
Date Accepted: Oct 20, 2019
Date Submitted to PubMed: Jul 14, 2020
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
A study protocol on the effect of ankle plantar flexor spasticity level on balance in patients with stroke
ABSTRACT
Background:
The lower limb spasticity after stroke can affect the balance and gait of patients after stroke.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to assess the effects of ankle plantar flexors spasticity level on balance in patients after stroke.
Methods:
Patients with stroke will be recruited from neurology and physiotherapy clinics in Tehran, Iran. The eligible patients with stroke will be divided into two groups based on the level of ankle plantar flexor spasticity according to the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) as high (MMASâ„2) and low (MMAS<2). The primary outcome measures will be the MMAS scores, Activities-specific balance confidence questionnaire, posturography measures in open and closed eyes conditions, and the timed up and go test. The secondary outcome measures are the ankle passive range of motion and ankle joint proprioception.
Results:
The patients with high ankle plantar flexor spasticity will show greater impairments in the balance confidence, passive range of motion, ankle proprioception, timed up and go test, and posturography measures. The patients with high spasticity level will show greater balance impairments in the eyes closed condition when compared to patients with low spasticity level and with eyes open. There will be positive relationships between the ankle plantar flexor spasticity level with the balance confidence scores and the impairments in ankle proprioception, ankle passive range of motion, and timed up and go test.
Conclusions:
The patients with high ankle plantar flexor spasticity after stroke will demonstrate greater balance dysfunction which is worsened with impairments of proprioception, passive range of motion, and eyes closed. Clinical Trial: Not a clinical trial.
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