뇌성마비 환아에서 전기자극이 족저굴곡근 경직에 미치는 영향

Abstract

Spasticity is one of the most troublesome problems in the management in cerebral palsy. This study was conducted to observe the effects of the electrical stimulation therapy to spasticity. 16 cerebral palsy children were treated with reciprocal electrical stimulation on tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius for 6 weeks. Three times of assessments of spasticity, before, immediately after and 24 hours after treatment were made for modified Ashworth scale, passive range of motion, reflex excitability test, ankle T-reflex and gross motor function measure.

The results were as follows:

1) After 6 weeks of electrical stimulation therapy, modified Ashworth scale, gain of the reflex excitability test, amplitude of the ankle T-reflex were significantly reduced and the passive range of motion and ankle dexterity were significantly increased(p<0.05). 2) The reductions of spasticity were maintained for 24 hours 3) The functional improvement measured by gross motor function measure could not be found. The reciprocal electrical stimulation therapy was effective in the management of the spasticity in cerebral palsy children. However we could not find any functional improvement because the duration of treatment was relatively short.