Abstract
Two stimulation methods, to reduce spasticity and to elicit anti-gravity flexion toward midline position in dorsal position, which is seen in normal infants after 4 months of age, were devised from treatment experience for patients with adult cerebral palsy. At first, for the first maneuver to reduce spasticity, pressure stimulation was applied for 5 consecutive minutes at a specific site of the back part of the chest. For the second maneuver to elicit anti-gravity flexion. pressure stimulation was continuously applied, from sides, onto calcaneus adhesion part of plantar aponeurosis. For the first maneuver, 36 lower limbs of 19 subjects with motor disability were assessed for SLR spasms-angle and the number of times of ankle clonus according to 5 grades in each item, and any judgments of grade 3 and higher were evaluated to be valid (improvement in SLR by 10 degrees and higher, decrease in the number of times of ankle clonus and increase in Achilles tendon extension).
In result, with the applied valid judgment rate for each item, the improvement rate in 20 lower limbs of 10 cases in which SLR spasms-angle could be evaluated was 95.0%, and the improvement rate of 27 lower limbs of 15 cases in which the appearance manner of ankle clonus could be evaluated was 81.4%. For the second maneuver, whether or not a manifestation of anti-gravity flexion occurred was evaluated in 9 cases, with a video record. In result, the manifestation of anti-gravity flexion could be confirmed in 8 out of the 9 cases. The results from this trial suggested that these 2 presented stimulation methods were effective maneuvers to reduce spasticity and to elicit anti-gravity flexion.
