To explore the short-term effects of contralateral inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with motor imagery (MI) on limb rehabilitation in patients with hemiplegia after stroke.

One hundred and eight patients with hemiplegia after stroke, admitted to Neurology Department of Fourth People’s Hospital of Langfang City from January 2017 to October 2019, were randomly divided into the conventional group, the MI group and the combined group, with 36 patients in each group. The conventional group received conventional drug therapy and rehabilitation therapy. The MI group received MI training on the basis of conventional treatment. The combined group underwent contralateral inhibitory rTMS therapy on the basis of the MI group. The course of treatment in all 3 groups was 4 weeks. The clinical efficacy, latent period of motor evoked potential (MEP-CL) on the affected side, central motor conduction time (CMCT) on the affected side, Berg balance scale (BBS), time up and go test (TUGT), modified falls efficacy scale (MFES), Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), motor assessment scale (MAS) of fine hand movement, modified barthel index (MBI) before and after treatment were compared among the 3 groups.

After 4 weeks of treatment, the total effective rates of the conventional group, the MI group, and the combination group were 50.0%, 77.8%, and 94.1%, respectively. The clinical efficacy of the 3 groups was compared with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in MEP-CL, CMCT, TUGT time, BBS scores, MFES score, FMA score, fine hand movement MAS score and MBI score before treatment among the 3 groups (P>0.05). After 4 weeks of treatment, MEP-CL, CMCT and TUGT time were shortened, BBS score, MFES score, FMA score, fine hand movement MAS score and MBI score were increased in the 3 groups (P<0.05), the improvement degree: the combined group>the MI group>the conventional group (P<0.05).

The contralateral inhibitory rTMS combined with motor imagination is beneficial to the limb rehabilitation of patients with hemiplegia after stroke, and can significantly improve the quality of life of patients.