European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicine
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Eur J Phys Rehabil Med · Dec 2019
Meta AnalysisEffect of extracorporeal shockwave therapy on muscle spasticity in patients with cerebral palsy: meta-analysis and systematic review.
Recently, clinical trials have been performed to evaluate the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). However, various studies adopted different clinical scales, making it insufficient to draw a definite conclusion about the efficacy of ESWT in reducing spasticity after cerebral palsy. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the effects of ESWT on reducing spasticity after applying ESWT in patients with CP. ⋯ No serious side effects were observed in any patient after ESWT. ESWT may be a valid alternative to existing treatment options targeting spasticity diminishment and ROM improvement in CP patients to maintain healthy lifestyles and normalize spastic gait pattern. Further standardization of treatment protocols including treatment intervals and intensities needs to be established and long-term follow-up studies are needed to verify our results.