The Effect of Cupping on Spasticity and Function of the Lower Extremity During Rehabilitation After Stroke

Scott Getsoian

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Stroke Gait Rehabilitation

Treatments: Other: Placebo cupping; Other: Standard physical therapy treatment; Other: Dry Static Cupping

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT06653855

RIL20240041

Details and patient eligibility

About

Physical therapists use dry static cupping for the treatment of many conditions, including spasticity for patients post-stroke. While research better describes the effects of dry static cupping for patients with orthopedic conditions, information is lacking on central conditions, such as stroke and resulting spasticity.

Full description

Cupping is an ancient alternative medicine. A common form of cupping, called dry static cupping, involves creating negative pressure inside a therapeutic cup. The cup is then placed on the skin, creating a light suction effect. In Eastern Medicine, cupping has been used to treat a variety of diseases. More recently, in Western society, cupping has been used after injury, and among other effects, has been found to improve blood volume and tissue oxygenation to an area. These effects have originally been thought to be peripheral in nature, occurring at the cupping site, hence, why cupping has been used for treatment for conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome, spinal pain, knee osteoarthritis, and other musculoskeletal conditions.

However, a recent systematic review found cupping to be beneficial for rehabilitation after stroke. These conclusions raise the question of a possible mechanism for cupping to improve impairments related to the central nervous system, such as spasticity after stroke. However, many of the studies to date have serious methodological flaws that limit the direct causation of cupping to the reduction of spasticity. As well, the majority of studies only involve the upper extremity. No study has yet looked at the therapeutic effects of dry static cupping on lower extremity spasticity reduction after stroke.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 30 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age 30-80
• Acute stroke (within 6 months of stroke), with spasticity & hemiparesis of LE
• Referred by doctor for rehabilitation for a stroke-related condition
• Attending Ascension Rehabilitation of Joliet for rehabilitation
• Able to read or verbally understand English or Spanish

Exclusion criteria

• Absent sensation of the areas to be cupped
• Significant cognitive impairment
• Pregnancy
• Prescription anticoagulant medications
• Blood clotting disorder
• Uncontrolled hypertension
• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Open wounds within the cupping area
• Current DVT
• Hematoma over the cupping area
• Fracture over the cupping area
• Active cancer within the cupping area
• Current use of Baclofen
• Current use of Botox
• Current use of an anti-spasticity medication

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Cupping group

Active Comparator group

Description:

This group (arm) will receive the dry static cupping intervention, along with the standard physical therapy treatment.

Treatment:

Other: Dry Static Cupping

Other: Standard physical therapy treatment

Placebo cupping group

Sham Comparator group

Description:

This group (arm) will receive a placebo-form of cupping (low, and non-therapeutic pressure amount in the cups), along with the standard physical therapy treatment.

Treatment:

Other: Standard physical therapy treatment

Other: Placebo cupping