The Correlation between Upper extremity Range of motion and Modified Ashworth scale in Stroke Patients

Abstract BACKGROUND: Stroke is common disease which affects arteries leading to brain. In stroke co contraction of agonist and antagonist muscle occur. Spasticity occurs due to loss of inhibition conducted by dorsal reticulospinal tract and increased excitation conducted by medial reticulospinal tract. OBJECTIVE: To determine correlation between Range of motion (ROM) of shoulder, elbow and wrist joint in all degree of freedom and modified ashworth scale (MAS) for spasticity in stroke patients. METHODS: It was a randomized control trial. Sample size was 41. Data collection was done from DHQ Hospital Jhelum. Conventional treatment was applied to control group and conventional treatment with dynamic neural mobilization was applied to experimental group, 10 rep/ set, 1set/ day, 3 days/week for 6 weeks. 0, 3rd and 6th week assessment was done through goniometry and modified ashworth scale (MAS). Correlation analysis was done through SPSS version 21. RESULTS: Spearmen correlation analysis was done through SPSS version 21. The result of study indicates that value of r was (0.439-0.493) for shoulder flexion, (0.361-0.504) for shoulder extension, (0.441-0.510) for shoulder abduction, (0.407-0.496) for shoulder internal rotation, (0.428-0.506) for shoulder external rotation, (0.357-0.436) for elbow flexion, (0.501-0.415) for elbow extension, (0.454-0.509) for forearm supination, (0.471-0.556) for forearm pronation, (0.392-0.482) for wrist flexion, (0.413-0.493) for wrist extension, (0.395-0.551) for radial deviation, (0.375-0.513) for ulnar deviation and (0.469-0.552) for thumb abduction. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that there was moderate to high correlation between range of motion (ROM) of shoulder, elbow and wrist joint in all degree of freedom and modified ashworth scale (MAS) for spasticity in stroke patients.