Effect of continued stretching of the affected arm in patients with cerebrovascular diseases by examining H-reflex characteristics

Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol. 2003 Jan-Feb;43(1):51-6.

Abstract

To investigate excitability of spinal neural function during stretching excises in patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD), H-reflex was analyzed before, during and after 1 min. continued stretching of the affected arm. 10 hemiparesis patients with hypertonus and hyperreflex, mean age of 53.2 years were tested. H-reflex was recorded from the abductor pollicis brevis on the affected side after stimulation of median nerve in supine position. The persistence, amplitude and amplitude ratio of H/M during stretching were lower than those before and after in the patients with moderately increased muscle tonus. In patients with slightly and markedly increased, H-reflex was same before, during and after continued stretching. It is suggested that excitability of spinal neural function during 1 min. continued stretching was inhibited in the patients with moderately increased muscle tonus caused by CVD.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arm / physiopathology*
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / complications
  • Cerebrovascular Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Electromyography
  • Female
  • H-Reflex / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Median Nerve / physiopathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Hypertonia / etiology
  • Muscle Hypertonia / physiopathology*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology*
  • Paresis / etiology
  • Paresis / physiopathology*
  • Reflex, Abnormal / physiology*
  • Reflex, Stretch / physiology*
  • Spinal Nerves / physiopathology
  • Supine Position / physiology
  • Time Factors