Abstract: Objective:To discuss the curative effect of slow stretching training combined with extracorporeal shock wave in the treatment of spasticity of biceps brachii in the stroke patients, and to provide the clinical evdiences for the application of this therapy. Methods: Fifty-six patients with post-stroke biceps bachii spasticity were randomly divided into observation group (n =28) and control group (n=28) according to random number table method. The patients in two groups received routine treatment (40 min/time, 2 times·d^-1, 6 d per week) and slow stretching training (15 min/time, 2 times·d^-1, 6 d per week). On the basis of the routine treatment, the patients in observation group were treated with extracorporeal shock wave, while the patients in control group were treated with pseudo-extracorporeal wave therapy. Modified Ashworth scale (MAS), simplified upper limb Fugl-Meyer score (FMA) and modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to evaluate the curative effects before treatment, 2 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment. Results: After 2 weeks of treatment, the FMA score of the patients in observation group was siginificantly increased compared with before treatment (P<0.05), and the MBI and MAS scores were decreased (P<0.05); the MAS score of the patients in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group (P=0.036),while there were no significant differences in the FMA and MBI scores between two groups (P>0.05). Compared with 2 weeks after treatment, the MAS score of the patients in observation group 4 weeks after treatment was significantly decreased (P<0.05), and the FMA and MBI scores were increased (P<0.05); the FMA score and the MBI score in observation group were significantly higher than those in control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the MAS score was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Slow stretching training combined with extracorporeal shock wave could effectively improve the post-stroke biceps brachii spasticity, and its therapeutic effect is better than the simple application of slow stretching training.

Key words: stroke, biceps brachii, slow stretching, extracorporeal shock wave, spasticity