Pain, fatigue, and intensity of practice in people with stroke who are receiving constraint-induced movement therapy.
OBJECTIVE
There is little available information about changes in pain and fatigue status among people receiving constraint-induced movement therapy (CI therapy). This study examined such changes.


METHODS
All participants were a subset of individuals with stroke enrolled in the Extremity Constraint-Induced Therapy Evaluation (EXCITE) trial and received 2 weeks of CI therapy either 3 to 9 months after stroke (subacute therapy group, n=18) or 1 year later (chronic therapy group, n=14).


METHODS
Pain, fatigue, and intensity of therapy were evaluated. The Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and the pain scale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for the upper extremity were administered before and after training. Single-item measures for pain and fatigue were administered twice daily during therapy.


RESULTS
All participants reported low mean pain (X=2.0, SD=0.93) and fatigue (X=2.7, SD=1.23) scores. Generally, differences between the subacute and the chronic therapy groups for pain, fatigue, intensity, and WMFT change scores were nonsignificant.


CONCLUSIONS
For selected patients with stroke, the intensive practice associated with CI therapy may be administered without exacerbation of pain or fatigue, even early during the recovery process.
Underwood
Julie
J
Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc, Morrisville, NC, USA.
Clark
Patricia C
PC
Blanton
Sarah
S
Aycock
Dawn M
DM
Wolf
Steven L
SL
D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000503:physiopathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology