The effect of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on spasticity and upper limb functionality in stroke patients

Spasticity is a sign or symptom of a stroke, and it can last for days or even months. Studies show that spasticity affects about 38% of people who have had a stroke. People who have had a stroke can use Extracorporeal shockwave therapy to help with spasticity, pain, and improving the way their upper limbs work. Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a series of single sonic pulses with high peak pressure (100 MPa), fast pressure rise (10 ns), and short duration (10 ls) that are sent to the target area by a generator and have an energy density of between 0.003 and 0.89 mJ/mm2. Radial ESWT (rESWT) has low to medium energy, a lower peak pressure (0.1 MPa), a longer rise time (50 ls), and lasts longer than focused ESWT (200–2000 ls). In Iraq, the Wasit Disabled Rehabilitation Center has 48 patients. The people who signed up were split into two groups, A and B. Each group had 24 people. In Group A, which used conventional physiotherapy, there were 20 men and 4 women. Group B used rESWT along with conventional therapy (16 men and 8 women). As ways to measure the outcome, we use the Modified Ashowrth Scale (MAS) score, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), and the Range of Motion. In statistical analysis, there were significant improvement in both groups of patients whom treated with ESWT and without ESWT in FMA-UE. P˂0.001. It is found that ESWT has no effect on spasticity and upper extremity functionality in stroke patients. Keywords: Stroke, Spasticity, Upper limb function, Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy, Fugl Meyer Assessment, Range of Motion.