title: Marma therapy for stroke rehabilitation -- a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine feasibility and acceptability issues and to gather preliminary outcome data to ascertain the numbers needed for a trial of Marma massage therapy for stroke rehabilitation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pilot non-randomized controlled trial, comparing standard care with standard care plus Marma therapy in post-stroke patients with a nested qualitative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adult patients who had an infarction or haemorrhage at any brain location with a Barthel Index score of 75/100 or less.
  
  
  METHODS
  Feasibility was assessed in terms of recruitment and response rates and loss to follow-up, and acceptability was assessed by patient interviews (n=13). The main outcome measure was the Barthel Index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recruitment rate was 0.53 patients per week in a stroke unit with an admission rate of 15.1 per week, the response rate was 91% and the loss to follow-up 30%. Most patients believed that the massage was beneficial, and although some reported pain, all interviewed would choose it again. The effectiveness data showed no significant differences in changed scores. However, the secondary measure follow-up score differences of the Motricity Index at 6 and 12 weeks and the trunk control test at 6 weeks suggest a possible greater improvement in the intervention group (p<0.05, p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are grounds for a future trial of Marma therapy (n=172), which would be feasible and acceptable to patients.
authors.affiliation: PenTAG, Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, UK. Mary.Fox@PenTAG.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dickens
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greaves
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: James
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020127:Recovery of Function; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome