Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41327613›Full record

Observational studyJournal of rehabilitation medicine2025

Changes in tibialis anterior muscle activity following tibial nerve block in adults with spastic equinovarus foot: an observational pilot study.

Alessandro Picelli, Mirko Filippetti, Angelo Pontillo, Eleonora Dimitrova, Nicola Valè, Rita Di Censo, Nicola Smania, Matteo Bertucco

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of rehabilitation medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Alessandro PicelliDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Neurorehabilitation Unit, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy; Canadian Advances in Neuro-Orthopaedics for Spasticity Consortium (CANOSC), Kingston, ON, Canada. alessandro.picelli@univr.it.
Mirko FilippettiDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Canadian Advances in Neuro-Orthopaedics for Spasticity Consortium (CANOSC), Kingston, ON, Canada.
Angelo PontilloDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Eleonora DimitrovaDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Nicola ValèDepartment of Engineering for Innovation Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Rita Di CensoDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Nicola SmaniaDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Neurorehabilitation Unit, University Hospital of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Matteo BertuccoDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo investigate changes in tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis activity during walking following a diagnostic nerve block of the tibial nerve in patients with spastic equinovarus foot.

designObservational pilot study. PATIENTS: Thirteen adult patients (10 males, 3 females) with spastic equinovarus foot due to stroke or traumatic brain injury.

methodsAll patients underwent a diagnostic nerve block of the tibial nerve main trunk. Clinical assessments included passive and active ankle range of motion, spasticity grading using the Modified Ashworth Scale and the Tardieu Scale, and muscle strength evaluation. Surface electromyography was recorded during gait to analyse muscle activation and coactivation patterns before and after the procedure.

resultsPassive ankle dorsiflexion significantly improved after the nerve block. Spasticity scores decreased, while active range of motion and Tardieu angle (passive range of motion during slow stretch - angle at which resistance is first felt during fastest stretch) showed trends toward improvement. Electromyographic analysis revealed reduced activation of both tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius medialis, along with a significant decrease in coactivation.

conclusionDiagnostic nerve block of the tibial nerve effectively reduces spasticity and alters antagonist muscle activity, supporting its role in personalized assessment and treatment planning for spastic equinovarus foot.

Indexed as

ClubfootMuscle, SkeletalMuscle SpasticityNerve BlockTibial NerveAdultAgedElectromyographyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsRange of Motion, ArticularStroke

Identifiers

PMID41327613
PMCPMC12681022

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.