Article

OBJECTIVE: To assess the capacity of the robotic device REAplan to measure
overall upper limb peak resistance force, as a reflection of upper limb
spasticity. METHODS: Twelve patients with chronic stroke presenting upper limb
spasticity were recruited to the study. Patients underwent musculocutaneous motor
nerve block to reduce the spasticity of elbow flexor muscles. Each patient was
assessed before and after the motor nerve block. Overall the REAplan measured
upper limb resistance force.
The robot passively mobilized the patient's upper
limb at various velocities (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 cm/s) in a back-and-forth
trajectory (30 cm). The peak resistance force was analysed for each forward
movement. Ten movements were performed and averaged at each velocity condition.
RESULTS: The overall upper limb resistance force increased proportionally to the
mobilization velocity (p< 0.001). Resistance force decreased after the motor
nerve block at 40 and 50 cm/s (p < 0.05). Overall upper limb resistance force
results showed excellent correlation with the Modified Ashworth Scale for elbow
flexor muscles, for each velocity condition equal or higher than 30 cm/s (rho
>0.6). CONCLUSION: This study proposes a new, valid, reliable and sensitive
protocol to quantify upper limb resistance force using the REAplan, as a
reflection of upper limb spasticity.

Langue : ANGLAIS