What is muscle hypertonicity after stroke?

After a stroke, some muscles may become overly tight or stiff. This is often due to changes in how the brain controls muscle activity.

中風後，部分肌肉可能出現過度緊繃或僵硬， 這通常與大腦對肌肉控制方式的改變有關。

How does high muscle tone affect recovery?

Increased muscle tone can limit joint movement, interfere with walking or arm use, and make daily activities and rehabilitation exercises more difficult.

肌張力過高可能限制關節活動度， 影響走路、手部使用，並增加復健與日常生活的困難度。

Where does acupuncture fit in?

In some individuals, acupuncture may help support muscle relaxation, reduce discomfort, and make rehabilitation exercises easier to perform. It should always be used together with standard rehabilitation care.

對部分患者而言，針灸可能有助於支持肌肉放鬆、減輕不適， 並讓復健訓練更容易進行，但必須與標準復健治療並行。

Pathophysiology of post-stroke hypertonicity

Post-stroke muscle hypertonicity is commonly related to upper motor neuron lesions, leading to altered inhibitory control, increased reflex excitability, and spasticity. These changes disrupt normal agonist–antagonist coordination.

中風後的肌張力過高多與上運動神經元病變相關， 造成抑制性控制減弱、反射興奮性增加與痙攣， 進而破壞拮抗肌與主動肌之間的正常協調。

Acupuncture as an adjunct in stroke rehabilitation

Systematic reviews and clinical trials on acupuncture for post-stroke spasticity show mixed results. Some studies report modest reductions in muscle tone or improvements in functional measures when acupuncture is combined with rehabilitation, while others find limited or inconsistent effects.

針對中風後痙攣的系統性回顧與臨床試驗結果並不一致。 部分研究顯示，當針灸與復健治療並行時， 可能出現肌張力小幅下降或功能改善； 但亦有研究顯示效果有限或不一致。

Clinical rationale for supportive use

From a rehabilitation perspective, even modest reductions in hypertonicity may facilitate stretching, positioning, gait training, and task-specific practice. Acupuncture is therefore best considered as a supportive tool rather than a stand-alone intervention.

從復健觀點來看，即使是小幅度的肌張力下降， 也可能有助於伸展、擺位、步態訓練與功能性練習。 因此，針灸較適合被視為輔助工具，而非單獨治療手段。

References are provided for educational purposes.

PubMed search: acupuncture AND post-stroke spasticity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=acupuncture+post+stroke+spasticity+systematic+review

PubMed search: stroke rehabilitation AND muscle tone
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=stroke+rehabilitation+muscle+tone