Efficacy of radial shock wave therapy for ankle spasticity in patients with stroke within 3 months of onset: a prospective quasi-experimental study.
Yuichi Hiramatsu, Hajime Yagura, Hiroaki Fujimoto and 9 others
PMID 42071234WHAT IT FOUND
In adults within three months of stroke, radial shock wave plus physical, occupational, and speech therapy was linked to lower ankle tone and greater passive range of motion for up to five weeks.
With no control group, natural recovery may explain the gains.
Key findings
01In patients receiving physical, occupational, and speech therapy, ankle tone scores were better than baseline at all later time points after the second shock wave session.
02Passive ankle range of motion remained better than baseline through five weeks after the final shock wave session in patients receiving physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
03Two patients stopped radial shock wave therapy because of pain or worsening clonus.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study had no control group, no blinding, and no randomization, so improvements cannot be separated from usual rehabilitation or spontaneous recovery in the subacute phase. All patients received physical, occupational, and speech therapy at least 5 days per week, so the effect of shock wave alone cannot be known. The sample was small: 52 patients completed the study. Follow-up was only 5 weeks after the final session. Only ankle plantar flexor tone and passive range were measured; no gait, balance, or activity outcomes were assessed. The Modified Ashworth Scale and passive range were examiner-dependent, and no inter-rater or intra-rater reliability was reported. Two patients stopped because of pain or worsening clonus, and six were lost to follow-up after the final time point.
Declared interests
The supplied text names the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development as funder and does not include an author conflict declaration.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that radial shock wave therapy caused the ankle improvements. The study had no control group, all patients received physical, occupational, and speech therapy, and subacute spontaneous recovery was ongoing.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →