Dry Needling of LI4 and TE5 Acupuncture Points on Wrist Flexor Spasticity in Stroke: A Case Report

TL;DR

This case report shows that dry needling at specific acupuncture points reduced wrist spasticity and improved movement in a stroke patient.

Contribution

The study demonstrates the potential effectiveness of dry needling at LI4 and TE5 acupoints for reducing spasticity in post-stroke patients.

Findings

Wrist flexor spasticity decreased from '2' to '0' after dry needling sessions.

Active wrist range of motion improved from 0° to 45° within six weeks.

Passive wrist range of motion increased from 75° to 90° after treatment.

Abstract

Spasticity is one of the most common serious complications after stroke. Dry needling (DN) has been used to improve spasticity and motor function in patients poststroke. This case report aimed to present the DN effects of LI4 and TE5 acupuncture points on wrist flexor spasticity in a patient with stroke. The patient was a 57-year-old man with a 5-year history of right hemiplegia poststroke. DN was applied on LI4 and TE5 for three sessions, every other day, and each point for 1 minute. The patient was assessed before (T0), after 3 sessions of DN (T1), and after first (T2) and sixth weeks (T3) after the last session. After DN, wrist flexor spasticity decreased from “2” to “0” according to the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale and improvement remained at T2 and T3. The wrist active range of motion (ROM) significantly improved from 0° at T0 to 10° at T1, 45° at T2, and 35° at T3 follow-up. The patient showed improvements in wrist passive ROM from 75° at T0 to 82° at T1, 90° at T2, and 80° at T3. The total motor score of Fugl-Meyer assessment demonstrated small improvements (38 points at T0 to 45 at T2, again 38 at T3). Three sessions of DN at LI4 and TE5 exhibited positive effects on spasticity and wrist ROM in a patient with stroke. Further investigation using the DN technique on acupoints in stroke patients with spasticity is warranted.

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