Efecto del tratamiento de estimulación eléctrica nerviosa transcutánea en el músculo tríceps sural tras un accidente cerebrovascular. Estudio de caso

Abstract

Background

In Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) the brain tissue is affected by a sudden interruption of blood supply, which determines the ability to control the affected side and compromises the coordination of agonist and antagonist muscles, experiencing spasticity increased muscle tone.

Objective

The objective of this case study was to evaluate the changes in the triceps surae muscle to stimulate improvement in motor function suffering from spasticity following a cerebrovascular event through treatment with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

Patient

A left hemiparesis secondary to CVA and three-year evolution spasticity in the triceps surae clinical case is presented.

Material and methods

Transcutaneous Nerve Electrostimulation was applied to the triceps surae. It was evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the thirteen sessions through the Joint Mobility Test to assess the left ankle, the Asworth scale for muscle tone, and the skeletal muscle ultrasonography of the triceps surae.

Results

The affected limb presented significant clinical changes in ankle mobility, improvement in muscle tone and modifications in the morphology of the triceps surae, reducing the fibrosis that was found at the beginning of the treatment.

Conclusions

The changes presented in the affected limb in the range of motion are interpreted into the functionality and morphology of the triceps surae with increased elasticity derived from the mechanobiology of muscle function; however, future research is required with a wider sample, suggesting adding other physical agents such as therapeutic exercise to obtain statistically significant changes.