Comparing the Radial Extracorporeal Shock Waves and Botulinum Toxin Injection for Spasticity

42 chronic stroke patients with upper limb spasticity were randomly assigned to receive either 1 session of ESWT per week for 3 consecutive weeks or BoNT-A injection. The biceps, flexor carpi radialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris muscles were treated. Assessments were performed at baseline and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the intervention. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score for the elbow from the baseline to after 4 weeks of treatment.

42 chronic stroke patients with upper limb spasticity were randomly assigned to receive either 1 session of ESWT per week for 3 consecutive weeks or BoNT-A injection. The biceps, flexor carpi radialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris muscles were treated. Assessments were performed at baseline and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the intervention. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score for the elbow from the baseline to after 4 weeks of treatment.