Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatment as Additional Therapy in Patients with Post-Stroke Spasticity of Upper Limb-A Narrative Review.

Stroke is a severe injury of the central nervous system (CNS) and one of the leading causes of long-term disability and mortality. One of the main symptoms of neurological diseases is spasticity. This is defined as a motor condition characterized by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon jerks and resulting in the hyperexcitability of the stretch reflex. Rehabilitation after a stroke is focused on relearning lost skills and regaining independence. Many new methods in neurorehabilitation have been introduced. This review concentrates on the current evidence for extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) as a noninvasive alternative to treat spasticity. We present the effect of EWST and radial EWST interventions to post-stroke patients with spasticity in the upper limb. Our collected data suggest that different parameters of shockwaves can be used to achieve functional improvementsin the upper limb after a stroke. Our accumulated data imply that ESWT is safe and can be used for pain relief, reduced muscle tension, and an increased range of motion. According to many studies, complications after shockwave treatment are infrequent. Transient complications after shockwave therapy (ESWT) include redness, tingling, pain, and bruising. We reviewed clinical trials that present the possible benefits in upper-limb function after shockwave therapy for post-stroke patients. In this article, we used many database search engines, including PEDro. In the stroke rehabilitation literature, a key methodological problem is the design of double-blind studies, which very often are not feasible.

Objectivizing Measures of Post-Stroke Hand Rehabilitation through Multi-Disciplinary Scales.

There is a wide variety of tools and measures for rehabilitation outcomes in post-stroke patients with impairments in the upper limb and hand, such as paralysis, paresis, flaccidity, and spasticity. However, there is a lack of general recommendations for selecting the most appropriate scales, tests, and instruments to objectively evaluate therapy outcomes. Reviews on upper limb and hand measurements reveal that clinicians' choices of tools and methods are highly varied. Some clinicians and medical teams continue to employ non-standard and unverified metrics in their research and measurements. This review article aims to identify the key parameters, assessed by outcome measures and instruments, that play a crucial role in upper limb and hand rehabilitation for post-stroke patients, specifically focusing on the recovery of hand function. The review seeks to assist researchers and medical teams in selecting appropriate outcome measures when evaluating post-stroke patients. We analyze the measured factors and skills found in these outcome measures and highlight useful tools that diversify assessments and enhance result objectivity through graphical representation. The paper also describes trends and new possibilities in hand outcome measures. Clinicians frequently use proven devices, such as EMG, goniometers, and hand dynamometers. Still, there is a growing trend towards incorporating technologies, such as pose and position estimation, using artificial intelligence, or custom hand grip measurement devices. Researchers are increasingly adopting scales previously successful in orthopedic and surgical patients, recognizing their potential for objectivizing outcomes in neurological patients with post-stroke hand complications. The review included only adults over the age of 18. Outcome measures were tested for usefulness in the rehabilitation of stroke patients.

Immersion Therapy with Head-Mounted Display for Rehabilitation of the Upper Limb after Stroke-Review.

Immersive virtual therapy technology is a new method that uses head-mounted displays for rehabilitation purposes. It offers a realistic experience that puts the user in a virtual reality. This new type of therapy is used in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Many patients after this disease have complications related to the upper extremities that limit independence in their everyday life, which affects the functioning of society. Conventional neurological rehabilitation can be supplemented by the use of immersive virtual therapy. The system allows patients with upper limb dysfunction to perform a motor and task-oriented training in virtual reality that is individually tailored to their performance. The complete immersion therapy itself is researched and evaluated by medical teams to determine the suitability for rehabilitation of the upper limb after a stroke. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the latest research (2019-2022) on immersive virtual reality with head-mounted displays using in rehabilitation of the upper extremities of stroke patients.

The Role of Vitamin D in Stroke Prevention and the Effects of Its Supplementation for Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review.

Hypovitaminosis D is a serious public health problem, representing an independent factor in mortality among the general population. Vitamin D deficiency may affect up to one billion people worldwide. Recently, the potential association between vitamin D levels and stroke has gained increasing attention. Many studies suggest that maintaining normal serum vitamin D levels is associated with improvement of the cardiovascular system and a reduction in stroke risk. As a neurosteroid, vitamin D influences brain development and function and immunomodulation and affects brain neuroplasticity. It supports many processes that maintain homeostasis in the body. As stroke is the second most common cause of death worldwide, more studies are needed to confirm the positive effects of vitamin D supplementation, its dosage at different stages of the disease, method of determination, and effect on stroke onset and recovery. Many studies on stroke survivors indicate that serum vitamin D levels only offer insignificant benefits and are not beneficial to recovery. This review article aims to highlight recent publications that have examined the potential of vitamin D supplementation to improve rehabilitation outcomes in stroke survivors. Particular attention has been paid to stroke prevention.