Constraint-induced movement therapy after stroke: efficacy for patients with minimal upper-extremity motor ability

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) on chronic moderate-to-severe upper-extremity motor impairment after stroke. DESIGN: Within-subjects design; pre- and posttesting as well as 1-month follow-up. SETTING: Outpatient clinic within a rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty participants, each greater than 12 months poststroke. INTERVENTION: Three weeks of CIMT including restraint of the nonparetic upper extremity and 6 hours of training a day. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Graded Wolf Motor Function Test (GWMFT), and Motor Activity Log (MAL). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant effect of treatment on upper-extremity motor impairment as assessed by the FMA, the MAL, and the functional ability scale of the GWMFT. There was a trend toward an effect of CIMT on mean speed of performance on the GWMFT. Post hoc analysis showed significant differences between motor impairment scores between pretreatment and posttreatment assessments, and improvements in motor impairment scores remained stable 1 month after completion of formal treatment. Improvements appeared to be mostly in the use of the involved upper extremity for bimanual activities. CONCLUSIONS: CIMT conferred significant changes in objective measures in subjects with chronic moderate-to-severe impairments after stroke. Additional studies of long-term benefits of this treatment on poststroke motor impairments and related functional disabilities are warranted.     

Feasibility and effectiveness of adding object-related bilateral symmetrical training to mirror therapy in chronic stroke: A randomized controlled pilot study

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adding object-related bilateral symmetrical training to mirror therapy (MT) to improve upper limb (UL) activity in chronic stroke patients. Method: Sixteen patients with moderate UL impairment were randomly allocated to either the experimental (EG) or control (CG) group. Both groups performed 1 hour sessions, 3 days/week for 4 weeks, involving object-related bilateral symmetrical training. EG performed the tasks observing their nonparetic UL reflected in the mirror, while CG observed the paretic UL directly. The primary outcome measure was unilateral and bilateral UL activity according to the Test d’Évaluation des Membres Supérieurs de Personnes Âgées (TEMPA). All measurements were taken at baseline, post-training, and follow-up (2 weeks). Results: TEMPA total score showed the main effect of time. Significant improvement was found for bilateral but not unilateral tasks. Both groups showed gains after training, with no differences between them. Conclusions: This study showed the feasibility of adding object-related bilateral training to MT. Both types of training improved UL bilateral activity; however, a larger sample is required for a definitive study. Other studies need to be carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of combining more distal-oriented movements and object-related unilateral training to improve these effects in chronic stroke patients.     

Driving pedal reaction times after right transtibial amputations

OBJECTIVES: To determine if right transtibial amputees have the potential to safely operate the foot pedals of a vehicle with their prosthetic foot, and to determine which of 4 driving techniques is associated with the fastest reaction times. DESIGN: Repeated measures. SETTING: Outpatient amputee clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Ten subjects with right-sided, transtibial amputations. INTERVENTION: Brake pedal response times were measured using 4 different driving techniques: right-sided accelerator with (1) prosthesis operating both the accelerator and brake pedals, (2) prosthesis operating the accelerator and left foot operating the brake, (3) left foot operating both the accelerator and brake, and (4) left-sided accelerator with the left foot operating both the accelerator and brake. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reaction time, movement time, total response time, and pedal configuration preference. RESULTS: Total response times were slowest using a 2-footed driving technique (P<.001). Total response times were comparable using a left-sided accelerator versus the prosthesis. Using the left foot to operate both the accelerator and brake in a conventional right-footed accelerator design led to the fastest reaction (P<.001) and total response times (P<.01), although it is unclear if this is a realistic driving technique for all amputees. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that right transtibial amputees should be instructed not to drive with a 2-footed technique, and that they have similar pedal response times using their prosthesis when compared with a left-sided accelerator.     

Measurement of upper-extremity function early after stroke: properties of the action research arm test

OBJECTIVE: To examine the responsiveness and validity of the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) in a population of subjects with mild-to-moderate hemiparesis within the first few months after stroke. DESIGN: Data were collected as part of the Very Early Constraint-Induced Therapy for Recovery from Stroke trial, an acute, single-blind randomized controlled trial of constraint-induced movement therapy. Subjects were studied at baseline (day 0), after treatment (day 14), and after 90 days (day 90) poststroke. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital; follow-up 3 months poststroke. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty hemiparetic subjects. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At each time point, subjects were tested on: (1) the ARAT, (2) clinical measures of sensorimotor impairments, (3) in the kinematics laboratory where they performed reach and grasp movements, and (4) clinical measures of disability. Blinded raters performed all evaluations. Analyses at each time point included calculating effect size as indicators of responsiveness, and correlation and regression analyses to examine relationships between ARAT scores and other measures. RESULTS: The ARAT is responsive to change, with effect sizes greater than 1.0 and responsiveness ratios of 7.0 at 3 months poststroke. ARAT scores were related to sensorimotor impairment measures, 3-dimensional kinematic measures of movement performance, and disability measures at all 3 time points. CONCLUSIONS: The ARAT is a responsive and valid measure of upper-extremity functional limitation and therefore may be an appropriate measure for use in acute upper-extremity rehabilitation trials.     

Virtual reality and haptics as a training device for movement rehabilitation after stroke: a single-case study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether training in a virtual environment with a haptic device will improve motor function in the left hemiparetic arm of a stroke subject. DESIGN: Single case, A-B-A design. SETTING: University hospital research laboratory. PARTICIPANT: A man in his late fifties (right handed), with a right-hemisphere lesion that caused a deficit in the left upper extremity. INTERVENTION: The subject trained with a 3-dimensional computer game during a 4-week period that consisted of twelve 90-minute sessions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Three tests (Purdue pegboard test, dynamometer hand-grip strength, upper-extremity test) and a subjective interview were used to evaluate motor performance. RESULTS: Improvements were found in fine manual dexterity, grip force, and motor control of the affected upper extremity. The subject reported that there was a change in his day-to-day use of the upper extremity and that he was able to use it in activities that were previously impossible for him. CONCLUSIONS: Training with virtual reality and haptics can promote motor rehabilitation.     

Driving after stroke: Driving exposure, advice, and evaluations

Objective: Little is known about the extent to which stroke survivors return to driving and the advice and/or evaluations they receive about driving. This study sought to estimate the prevalence of driving after stroke and to determine whether stroke survivors receive advice and evaluation about driving.Design: A convenience sample of stroke survivors was surveyed regarding driving status following stroke, driving exposure, advice received about driving, and evaluation of driving performance.Participants: Two hundred ninety stroke survivors who were between 3 months to 6 years poststroke.Results: Thirty percent of stroke survivors who drove before the stroke resumed driving after the stroke. Stroke survivors are often poorly informed by health care professionals about driving, with 48% reporting that they did not receive advice about driving and 87% reporting that they did not receive any type of driving evaluation. Almost one third of poststroke drivers had high exposure, driving 6 to 7 days per week and/or 100 to 200 miles per week.Conclusions: These findings suggest that many stroke survivors are making decisions about their driving capabilities without professional advice and/or evaluation. The results also suggest that rehabilitation professionals need to devote more attention and resources to driving issues when working with stroke survivors and their families.     

A randomized controlled comparison of upper-extremity rehabilitation strategies in acute stroke: A pilot study of immediate and long-term outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of 2 upper-extremity rehabilitation approaches for stroke compared with standard care in participants stratified by stroke severity. DESIGN: Nonblinded, randomized controlled trial (baseline, postintervention, 9mo) design. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation hospital and outpatient clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-four patients with recent stroke admitted for inpatient rehabilitation were randomized within severity strata (Orpington Prognostic Scale) into 1 of 3 intervention groups. Forty-four patients completed the 9-month follow-up. INTERVENTIONS: Standard care (SC), functional task practice (FT), and strength training (ST). The FT and ST groups received 20 additional hours of upper-extremity therapy beyond standard care distributed over a 4- to 6-week period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Performance measures of impairment (Fugl-Meyer Assessment), strength (isometric torque), and function (Functional Test of the Hemiparetic Upper Extremity [FTHUE]). RESULTS: Compared with SC participants, those in the FT and ST groups had significantly greater increases in Fugl-Meyer motor scores (P=.04) and isometric torque (P=.02) posttreatment. Treatment benefit was primarily in the less severe participants, where improvement in FT and ST group Fugl-Meyer motor scores more than doubled that of the SC group. Similar results were found for the FTHEU and isometric torque. During the long term, at 9 months, the less severe FT group continued to make gains in isometric muscle torque, significantly exceeding those of the ST group (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Task specificity and stroke severity are important factors for rehabilitation of arm use in acute stroke. Twenty hours of upper extremity-specific therapy over 4 to 6 weeks significantly affected functional outcomes. The immediate benefits of a functional task approach were similar to those of a resistance-strength approach, however, the former was more beneficial in the long-term.     

An audit of follow-up services for stroke patients after discharge from hospital

A register was kept of all patients admitted to hospital in Nottingham with acute stroke, and survivors were followed up at 1 and 6 months. A quarter of the 183 survivors seen at home 6 months after their strokes were still unable to perform some everyday activities. Only 18% of discharged patients ever received outpatient occupational therapy but 42% received physiotherapy. Those attending outpatient rehabilitation were more likely to improve in functional ability between 1 and 6 months. A third of patients interviewed had not seen their GP since discharge and many with severe disabilities did not receive potentially useful therapy or aids.     

Measuring upper limb capacity in patients after stroke: reliability and validity of the stroke upper limb capacity scale

Houwink A, Roorda LD, Smits W, Molenaar IW, Geurts AC. Measuring upper limb capacity in patients after stroke: reliability and validity of the Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale.

Objective

To investigate the interrater reliability and construct validity of the Stroke Upper Limb Capacity Scale (SULCS).

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Inpatient department of a rehabilitation center.

Participants

Patients after stroke (N=21; mean age ± SD, 61.7±7.9y; 57% men), undergoing inpatient rehabilitation.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

The SULCS was administered by occupational therapists (OTs) within 6 weeks after stroke (t1), 3 months after t1 by the same OT (t2), and within 1 week after t2 by another OT (t3). Interrater reliability, the repeatability between different raters, was assessed by calculating the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) based on the scores at t2 and t3. Construct validity, indicating agreement with hypotheses concerning the construct that is being measured, was assessed with Spearman rank correlation coefficient (ρ). The SULCS scores were cross-sectionally correlated with those of the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and the Rivermead Motor Assessment (RMA) at t1, and longitudinally with the respective change scores between t1 and t2.

Results

The SULCS (range, 0–10) had a high ICC (.94; 95% confidence interval, .86–.97) and strong cross-sectional correlation with both the ARAT and the RMA (ρ=.91 and ρ=.85, respectively), while the respective change scores showed a strong correlation with the ARAT (ρ=.71) and a moderate correlation with the RMA (ρ=.48).

Conclusions

The SULCS has good interrater reliability and construct validity.     

Coping and adaptation at six months after stroke: experiences with eating disabilities

Stroke produces a range of enduring impairments and survivors' coping and adaptation styles are influential features of life after stroke. Many stroke-sequelae affect ability to eat but survivors' perceptions and responses to these have not been explored.Methods. Survivors of a cohort of patients admitted to hospital with acute stroke March 1998-April 1999 participated in semi-structured interviews in their homes at 6 months post-stroke. Interviews were tape recorded and transcribed; 113 interviews with eating-disabled subjects were entered onto QSR NUD*IST 4 for thematic analysis.Findings. Two major emergent themes of 'getting back to normal' and 'getting by' were revealed which encompassed a range of responses in relation to food and eating. A high level of congruence was demonstrated with pre-existent frameworks but with some unique features. Reportage demonstrated non-linear and inconsistent effects of impairments within patients' lives and the importance of this topic for survivors and healthcare professionals was clear.     

Rehabilitation after severe stroke - an enthusiastic approval and a cautionary note

Purpose.?To develop a scale to measure (social) participation for use in rehabilitation, stigma reduction and social integration programmes.

Method.?A scale development study was carried out in Nepal, India and Brazil using standard methods. The instrument was to be based on the Participation domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), be cross-cultural in nature and assess client-perceived participation. Respondents rated their participation in comparison with a ‘peer’, defined as ‘someone similar to the respondent in all respects except for the disease or disability’.

Results.?An 18-item instrument was developed in seven languages. Crohnbach's α was 0.92, intra-tester stability 0.83 and inter-tester reliability 0.80. Discrimination between controls and clients was good at a Participation Score threshold of 12. Responsiveness after a ‘life change’ was according to expectation.

Conclusions.?The Participation Scale is reliable and valid to measure client-perceived participation in people affected by leprosy or disability. It is expected to be valid in other (stigmatised) conditions also, but this needs confirmation. The scale allows collection of participation data and impact assessment of interventions to improve social participation. Such data may be compared between clients, interventions and programmes. The scale is suitable for use in institutions, but also at the peripheral level.     

A single session of open kinetic chain movements emphasizing speed improves speed of movement and modifies postural control in stroke

Little attention has been given to training speed of movement, even though functional activities require quick submaximal contractions. Closed kinetic chain (CKC) exercises are considered more functional; however, the best method for training speed is not known. A single bout of open kinetic chain (OKC) exercises emphasizing speed was performed to determine whether movement velocity and muscle activation would improve in a single session and whether the improvements transfer to a physiological balance task. Eleven participants <1 year post-stroke performed an arm raise task before and after a single session of fast OKC exercises. Surface electromyography (EMG) from soleus (SOL), tibialis anterior (TA), biceps femoris (BF) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles, peak velocity and average power were recorded during the OKC exercises. EMG from SOL, TA, BF and RF and center of pressure (COP) velocity were measured during arm raise task. At the end of the OKC exercises, velocity, power and TA, BF and RF EMG area increased. The arm acceleration and BF EMG area increased significantly during the arm raise. The improvements observed at the end of the OKC exercises transferred to the arm raise task. The improvements in balance were comparable to those previously seen after CKC exercises.     

Effects of kinesiotaping combined with the motor relearning method on upper limb motor function in adults with hemiparesis after stroke

IntroductionKinesio Taping (KT) is being widely used in neurorehabilitation as an adjuvant technique due to its therapeutic effects. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of Kinesio Taping combined with the motor relearning method on upper limb motor function in adult patients with post-stroke hemiparesis.MethodsA quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test in a sample of 10 adult patients with post-stroke hemiparesis, randomly assigned in two groups: experimental (n: 5) who received 12 sessions of Kinesio Taping combined with the motor relearning method and a control group (n: 5) who only received 12 sessions of the motor relearning method. Motor function was assessed through the selective movement pattern scale for adult patients with upper motor neuron injury before and after each intervention.Resultsstatistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found when comparing the means of upper limb movement patterns of the experimental group.Conclusionsthe use of Kinesio Taping combined with the motor relearning method was encouraging for upper limb motor function in patients with spastic hemiparesis.     

Immediate effect of different ankle-foot orthosis functions with the same dorsiflexed setting of initial ankle joint angle on walking ability in individuals with chronic stroke: a randomized crossover trial

[Purpose] To investigate how different ankle-foot orthosis functions with the same dorsiflexed setting of initial ankle joint angle affect the walking ability in individuals with chronic stroke. [Participants and Methods] In this randomized crossover study, participants underwent a 10-m walking test and walked on a WalkWay MW-1000 three times under these conditions: (1) without ankle-foot orthosis; (2) with ankle-foot orthosis with an adjustable posterior strut at 5° of fixed dorsiflexion; and (3) with ankle-foot orthosis with an adjustable posterior strut at 5–20° of restricted dorsiflexion. The primary outcome was walking speed on the 10-m walking test. The secondary outcomes were walking speed and spatiotemporal factors measured by the WalkWay MW-1000. [Results] Fifteen individuals (mean [standard deviation] age, 60.9 [8.6] years; male, 12) were enrolled. Walking speeds of the ankle-foot orthosis with fixed and restricted dorsiflexion groups were significantly higher than those without the orthosis; however, no outcomes differed significantly between ankle-foot orthosis with fixed versus restricted dorsiflexion groups. [Conclusion] In individuals with chronic stroke, ankle-foot orthosis function may be less important than the dorsiflexed setting of initial ankle joint angle in the ankle-foot orthosis.     

Hip abduction with ankle dorsiflexion (HAAD) score and trunk seating control within 72 h after stroke predicts long-term disability: A cohort study

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine whether muscle strength of the lower limb and trunk during the acute phase after stroke are predictors of motor function and disability 90 days after hospital discharge.MethodsThis prospective study used a nonconcurrent design to evaluate stroke patients at two time points: a) first 72 h: hip abduction and ankle dorsiflexion (HAAD) score, trunk sitting control, clinical evaluation, demographic profile, and stroke severity using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS); b) 90 days after hospital discharge: modified Rankin scale (mRS). The participants were divided into two groups: good outcome (mRS 0–2) and worse outcome (mRS>2), and the differences between them were assessed statistically. Clinical and demographic variables were included in the multiple logistic regression analysis. The ROC curve was used to illustrate the clinical sensitivity and specificity of the HAAD score cutoff for the outcomes.ResultsThirty-seven patients were included: 16 with mRS≤2 and 21 with mRS>2. Patients in the worse outcome group were older (p = 0.02) and presented with higher NIHSS scores (p = 0.002), lower HAAD scores (p < 0.001), higher pain sensation (p = 0.04), greater altered perception (p = 0.008), and no trunk control in the sitting position (p = 0.004). A lower HAAD score (OR = 0.09; 95%CI: 0.14–0.53; p < 0.001) and the absence of trunk control in the sitting position (OR = 0.55; 95%CI:0.54–0.95; p < 0.001) were associated with unsatisfactory outcomes.ConclusionA HAAD score <6 and the absence of trunk control while sitting during the first 72 h are predictors of worse long-term disability in stroke patients.