Benefits of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy to Reduce Spasticity in Cerebral Palsy and Stroke Patients

Background: Spasticity, a common issue in cerebral palsy and stroke patients, significantly impairs mobility and quality of life. Non-invasive treatments like Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) have been explored for spasticity reduction.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of ESWT in reducing spasticity in cerebral palsy (CP) and stroke patients using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS).Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted on 28 spastic CP and stroke patients. Participants were divided into Group A (n = 14, ESWT combined with conventional physiotherapy) and Group B (n = 14, conventional physiotherapy only). ESWT was administered at 5 Hz frequency, 0.10 mJ/mm² energy flux density, and 1500 impulses per session for 30 minutes, 5 days a week, for 6 months. Spasticity was assessed using MAS pre- and post-intervention. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 25.Results: The ESWT group showed a significant reduction in MAS scores from 3.21 ± 0.25 to 1.77 ± 0.37 (p < 0.001), compared to the control group (3.10 ± 0.44 to 2.36 ± 0.60; p < 0.001).Conclusion: ESWT significantly reduced spasticity in CP and stroke patients, demonstrating its potential as an adjunctive therapy.