Emerging Concepts and Evidence in Telematics Novel Approaches or Treatments for Spasticity Management After Botulinum Injection.
Helena Bascuñana-Ambrós, Mª Josep Nadal-Castells, Eliot Ramírez-Mirabal and 3 others
PMID 36188770WHAT IT FOUND
A search for telehealth tools to guide stretching after botulinum toxin injections for spasticity found no apps or games designed for this purpose.
Only one assessment app exists, which measures muscle tone but does not deliver treatment.
Key findings
01No apps or games were found that specifically target stretching exercises for patients with spasticity after botulinum toxin injections.
02The only app identified for spasticity management is the Spasticity Assessor, which uses the Modified Tardieu scale to evaluate muscle tone and range of motion in the lower limbs.
03While apps exist for general stretching or other conditions like tennis elbow, none have been adapted or validated for spasticity management in this search.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a narrative review of existing technology, not a clinical trial, so it reports on the availability of tools rather than their effectiveness. The search was limited to publications and apps available up to March 2021, so newer tools may have emerged since then. The authors state that clinicians are often unwilling to adopt telehealth, which may bias the search or interpretation of the gaps in the market.
Declared interests
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the Spasticity Assessor app can be used to treat spasticity. It is strictly an assessment tool for measuring muscle tone and range of motion, not a platform for delivering stretching exercises or monitoring patient adherence to a treatment plan.