Do clinical tests of spasticity accurately reflect muscle function during walking: A systematic review

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to establish the ecological validity of clinical tests of lower limb spasticity by determining whether the range of motion (ROM) and speed of limb movement during the assessment accurately replicate muscle function and joint biomechanics during walking. Methods: An electronic search of ten databases was performed to identify all relevant articles. The reference lists of all included articles were also searched. Identification of relevant articles, data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Results: Seventeen studies were included in the review. The Modified Ashworth Scale was the most commonly used cl..