Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on muscle tone and muscle stiffness in stroke patients. [ Subjects and Methods] The subjects consisted of 15 patients with chronic stroke (stroke group) and 15 healthy persons (healthy group). We measured the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation intervention on the lower extremity using a muscle tone measurement device; this detected changes in muscle tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles. [Results] Measurements taken before the intervention showed that, on average, the lower extremity muscles of the stroke group showed abnormally increased muscle tone and stiffness compared to the lower extremity muscles of the healthy group. After the intervention, the average muscle tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles of the stroke group decreased, but this change was insignificant, and the differences between the two groups were also insignificant. [Conclusion] Based on the findings of this study, we recommend proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation treatment of both affected and non-affected sides to decrease the abnormally increased muscle tone and stiffness in the lower extremity muscles of chronic stroke patients.