Effectiveness of modified constraint-induced movement therapy on upper limb function in stroke subjects.
OBJECTIVE
Of all stroke survivors, more than 50% are left with motor disabilities. Impairment of upper limb movement is a common motor disability. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is an intervention which has been used for the treatment of upper extremity motor disabilities in stroke patients. Although CIMT is an effective intervention, a recent survey revealed that this procedure is viewed with apprehension by many clinicians because of concerns about practicality and resource issues. We developed a modified CIMT that reserves the massed training of the affected arm without any physical restriction of the intact one and then used it on our stroke patients. This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of this Modified-Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (m-CIMT).


METHODS
Thirty stroke patients were randomly assigned to either an m-CIMT (n=13) or a control group (n=17). Subjects in the m-CIMT group received a 2-week course of m-CIMT. Outcomes were evaluated using the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT).


RESULTS
After only 2 weeks of training, significant differences (p<0.05) in favor of m-CIMT were found in the following 6 elements of the WMFT: Extend elbow with weight, Lift pencil, Stack checkers, Flip cards, Turn key in lock, and Lift basket.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study shows that our m-CIMT is useful in improving the function of the affected upper extremity in stroke patients.
Yen
Jyh-Geng
JG
Department of Neurology, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan.
Wang
Ray-Yau
RY
Chen
Hsin-Hung
HH
Hong
Chi-Tzong
CT
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012149:Restraint, Physical; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D034941:Upper Extremity