Comparison between bobath inhibitory technique with electrical stimulation and bobath inhibitory technique alone on spastic patients

Introduction: Spasticity is one the signs of upper motor neuron injuries. Spasticity is as inter ventional factor result in gait, posture and function difficulties. There are different methods to reduce spasticity such as drug therapy, physical therapy, etc. The physical therapists use bobath inhibitory technipues for decreasing spasticity. The relatively new method in treatment of patients with spasticity is electrical stimulation. There are a controversy in results of studies that evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation on spasticity. The purpose of present study is a comparison between bobath technique with electrical stimulation and bobath technique alone on spastic patients. Materials and Methods: Fourty patients with upper motor lesion who had spasticity in lower extremities participated in the study. The subjects divided into two groups. Group A was received bobath technique with electrical stimulation and group B received only bobath technique . Before and after intervension, the spasticity assessment was performed by measurement of passive dorsiflexion range of motion, Tibialis anterior strength and Gastrocneminus tone with Ashworth scale and H-reflex. Results: The results of this study indicated that the improvement induced by both methods were statistically significant for all parameters measured (p=0.000). In group A, increasing passive dorsi flexion range of motion and decreasing Gastrocnemius tone was greater than group B. These differentes were statiscally significant (p=0/001). However , there was no significant difference between two groups with respect to tibialis anterior strength increase and H-reflex activity decrease. Conclusion: To decrease Gastrocnemius tonicity and increase passive dorsi flexion range of motion, bobath inhibitory with electrical stimulation was more effective than inhibitory technique alone.