Dry Needling in Patients Who Had Experience Stroke

Changes in Spasticity, Motor Function and Stabilometry After Dry Needling of the Tibialis Posterior Muscle in Post-stroke Patients

Individuals who had experience a stroke usually suffer from spasticity at medium and long-terms. The presence of spasticity in the lower extremity implies several impairments for standing and walking inducing high disability. A recent study has proposed the use of dry needling for improving spasticity in the lower extremity. No study has investigated the effects of deep dry needling inserted into spastic musculature in stabilometry and moto function in patients who had experience a stroke. A randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of the inclusion of deep dry needling into a Bobath interventional program on spasticity, motor function and balance (stabilometry) in individuals who had experience a stroke

Inclusion Criteria:

• First-ever unilateral stroke;
• hemiplegia resulting from stroke;
• unilateral equinovarus gait with independent walk;
• able to ambulate without supporting devices

Exclusion Criteria:

• recurrent stroke;
• previous treatment with nerve blocks, motor point injections with neurolytic agents for spasticity at any time, or with BTX-A in the previous 6 months
• not independent in the basic activities of daily living
• cognitive deficits;
• progressive or severe neurologic diseases;
• fear to needles;
• any contraindication for dry needling