Use a Portable Device for Measuring Spasticity in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to correlate results obtained with a portable device for measuring spasticity at the ankle joint and Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) evaluations of patients with cerebral palsy (CP). [Subjects and Methods] A non-controlled, observational, cross-sectional study was carried out involving 17 individuals with spastic CP. The evaluation of spasticity was performed with the MAS, followed by the measurement of the passive, articular moment-angle characteristics at the ankle by means of the portable device. [Results] No statistically significant differences were found between evaluations made with MAS and the portable device with the knee flexed and extended. A strong negative correlation was found between moment-angle and the MAS in the evaluations of knee flexion and extension under conditions of fast and slow movement of both the right and left limbs. [Conclusion] By using the portable device and the MAS, similar evaluations of ankle spasticity in individuals with CP were obtained. The negative correlation between the device and the MAS indicates that greater spasticity leads to a lower moment-angle.