Effects of Continuous Passive Motion on the Spinal Circuitries and Its Adaptation in Patients With Spasticity Resulting From Upper Motor Neuron Lesions

In animal and human studies, histochemical and physiological evidences showed that the muscle transferred from slow, fatigue-resistant muscle to fast, fatigable muscle after spinal cord injury. The alternation of muscular property was accompanied by the alternation of spinal circuitry property, and was related to the immobilization adaptation. Previous study showed that remobilization by continuous passive motion (CPM) for one month would restore the function of spinal circuitry in individual with chronic SCI. It is possible that long term application of CPM can reverse the adaptation of contractile properties of the paralyzed muscle after SCI. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of a four month CPM training on muscular properties in individuals with chronic SCI.