Rehabilitation effect of intelligent ankle stretching on lower extremity spasm in patients with spinal cord injury:a randomized controlled trial
Objective To observe the effect of intelligent flexible ankle stretching training on lower extremity spasm in patients with spinal cord injury.Methods From June,2021 to May,2024,28 patients with spinal cord injury were randomly divided into control group(n=14)and experimental group(n=14).Both groups received conventional rehabilitation treatment.On this ba-sis,the control group received manual extension treatment,and the experimental group received intelligent flexi-ble ankle stretching system training,for eight weeks.The modified Ashworth Scale(MAS),ankle dorsiflexion an-gle,Clinical Spasticity Index(CSI),max root mean square(RMSmax)of surface electromyography of gastrocne-mius medial head and vibration perception threshold(VPT)of great toe were compared.Results After treatment,MAS(χ2=10.378,P=0.035),ankle dorsiflexion angle(Z=-3.306,P<0.001),CSI(t=4.101,P=0.001)and RMSmax of gastrocnemius medial head(Z=-3.296,P<0.001)improved in the experimental group,while MAS(χ2=11.418,P=0.022),ankle dorsiflexion angle(Z=-1.986,P=0.047)and RMSmax of gas-trocnemius medial head(Z=-2.297,P=0.021)were better in the experimental group than in the control group.Although VPT was improved after treatment,no significant difference was found within and beteen groups(P>0.05).Conclusion The intelligent flexible ankle stretching training could improve the lower limb muscle spasticity in patients with spinal cord injury,and may be benefit for foot proprioception.