|
|
||||||||
Research Reports |
M Blackburn, PT, MCSP, is Lecturer, Division of Physiotherapy Education, School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Clinical Sciences Building, Hucknall Road, Nottingham, United Kingdom NG5 1PB (Marjan.Blackburn{at}Nottingham.ac.uk). She was Research Physiotherapist, Division of Stroke Medicine, School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, at the time of the study
P van Vliet, PhD, is Post Doctoral Research Physiotherapist, Centre for Vascular Research, School of Medical and Surgical Science, Division of Stroke Medicine, University of Nottingham
SP Mockett, MPhil, MCSP, is Lecturer and Deputy Head, Division of Physiotherapy Education, School of Community Health Sciences, University of Nottingham
Background and Purpose. Abnormal muscle tone is a common motor disorder following stroke, which may require rehabilitation. The Modified Ashworth Scale is a 6-point rating scale that is used to measure muscle tone. The interrater and intrarater reliability of measurements obtained with the scale remain equivocal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of measurements obtained with the scale in the lower limb of patients with stroke. Subjects. Twenty patients were tested 2 weeks after their stroke, and 12 patients were tested 12 weeks after their stroke. Methods. Gastrocnemius, soleus, and quadriceps femoris muscles on the hemiplegic side were tested. Results. Interrater reliability for 2 raters was poor, with a Kendall tau-b correlation for the combined muscle group of .062 (P=.461). For intrarater reliability, the Kendall tau-b correlation was .567 (P<.001). The agreement within one rater occurred mostly on the grade of 0. Discussion and Conclusion. The Modified Ashworth Scale yielded reliable measurements in the lower limb for a single examiner, and agreement was best on the grade of 0. The reliability between examiners was not good, which may bring into question the validity of measurements obtained with the scale.
Key Words: Cerebrovascular disorders Hemiplegia Hypertonicity Measurement Muscle tone Reliability
![]()
CiteULike
Complore
Connotea
Del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Technorati What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
M M Mirbagheri, C Tsao, and W Z Rymer Natural history of neuromuscular properties after stroke: a longitudinal study J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, November 1, 2009; 80(11): 1212 - 1217. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. R Pierce, M. F Barbe, A. E Barr, P. A Shewokis, and R. T Lauer Roles of Reflex Activity and Co-contraction During Assessments of Spasticity of the Knee Flexor and Knee Extensor Muscles in Children With Cerebral Palsy and Different Functional Levels Physical Therapy, October 1, 2008; 88(10): 1124 - 1134. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. H Bakhtiary and E. Fatemy Does electrical stimulation reduce spasticity after stroke? A randomized controlled study Clinical Rehabilitation, May 1, 2008; 22(5): 418 - 425. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. D. Sanger, A. Bastian, J. Brunstrom, D. Damiano, M. Delgado, L. Dure, D. Gaebler-Spira, A. Hoon, J. W. Mink, S. Sherman-Levine, et al. Prospective Open-Label Clinical Trial of Trihexyphenidyl in Children With Secondary Dystonia due to Cerebral Palsy J Child Neurol, May 1, 2007; 22(5): 530 - 537. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. D. Sanger, S. N. Kukke, and S. Sherman-Levine Botulinum Toxin Type B Improves the Speed of Reaching in Children With Cerebral Palsy and Arm Dystonia: An Open-Label, Dose-Escalation Pilot Study J Child Neurol, January 1, 2007; 22(1): 116 - 122. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. K. L. Yam and M. S. M. Leung Interrater Reliability of Modified Ashworth Scale and Modified Tardieu Scale in Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy J Child Neurol, December 1, 2006; 21(12): 1031 - 1035. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. Rydwik, S. Eliasson, and G. Akner The effect of exercise of the affected foot in stroke patients-a randomized controlled pilot trial Clinical Rehabilitation, August 1, 2006; 20(8): 645 - 655. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. T. S. Kumar, A. D. Pandyan, and A. K. Sharma Biomechanical measurement of post-stroke spasticity Age Ageing, July 1, 2006; 35(4): 371 - 375. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Mehrholz, K. Wagner, D. Meissner, K. Grundmann, C. Zange, R. Koch, and M. Pohl Reliability of the Modified Tardieu Scale and the Modified Ashworth Scale in adult patients with severe brain injury: a comparison study Clinical Rehabilitation, July 1, 2005; 19(7): 751 - 759. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
U.-B. Flansbjer, A. M. Holmback, D. Downham, and J. Lexell What change in isokinetic knee muscle strength can be detected in men and women with hemiparesis after stroke? Clinical Rehabilitation, May 1, 2005; 19(5): 514 - 522. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. Mehrholz, Y. Major, D. Meissner, S. Sandi-Gahun, R. Koch, and M. Pohl The influence of contractures and variation in measurement stretching velocity on the reliability of the Modified Ashworth Scale in patients with severe brain injury Clinical Rehabilitation, January 1, 2005; 19(1): 63 - 72. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
D. D. Aarrestad, M. D. Williams, S. C. Fehrer, E. Mikhailenok, and C. T. Leonard Intra- and Interrater Reliabilities of the Myotonometer When Assessing the Spastic Condition of Children With Cerebral Palsy J Child Neurol, November 1, 2004; 19(11): 894 - 901. [Abstract] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Blanton, S. P Grissom, and L. Riolo Use of a Static Adjustable Ankle-Foot Orthosis Following Tibial Nerve Block to Reduce Plantar-Flexion Contracture in an Individual With Brain Injury Physical Therapy, November 1, 2002; 82(11): 1087 - 1097. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
R. S Tappan Rehabilitation for Balance and Ambulation in a Patient With Attention Impairment Due to Intracranial Hemorrhage Physical Therapy, May 1, 2002; 82(5): 473 - 484. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |