Evaluating Shock Wave Therapy and Ultrasound for Treating Wrist Muscle Spasticity After Stroke in Adults 35 to 65

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy ESWT for treating spasticity in wrist flexor muscles flexor carpi ulnaris and flexor carpi radialis of adults who have had a stroke at least six months ago. Spasticity causes muscle stiffness, pain, and limits function, which reduces quality of life and increases healthcare costs. The study aims to use objective ultrasound techniques alongside traditional scales to better assess and manage spasticity in chronic stroke patients. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive conventional rehabilitation therapy daily for 1-2 hours, five days a week, for 12 weeks, including exercises, positioning, balance and gait training, occupational therapy, and speech therapy as needed. The other group will receive the same rehabilitation plus radial ESWT applied twice a week for four weeks eight sessions total to the wrist flexor muscles using a device delivering 2000 impulses per muscle at specified intensity and frequency. Participants will be assessed at the start and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment using the Modified Ashworth Scale to measure spasticity, as well as tests for wrist range of motion, functional independence, upper limb motor function, muscle tissue quality, and ultrasound strain index. These evaluations will help determine the short- and long-term effects of ESWT in managing post-stroke spasticity. The study is expected to last through August 2026.

Clinical and Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Efficacy of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) in Post-Stroke Spasticity