title: HandTutor™ enhanced hand rehabilitation after stroke--a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study assessed the potential therapeutic benefi t of using HandTutor™ in combination with traditional rehabilitation in a post-stroke sub-acute population. The study compares an experimental group receiving traditional therapy combined with HandTutorTM treatment, against a control group receiving only traditional therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  An assessor-blinded, randomized controlled pilot trial, was conducted in the Reuth rehabilitation unit in Israel. Thirty-one stroke patients in the sub-acute phase, were randomly assigned to one of the two groups (experimental or control) in sets of three. The experimental group (n = 16) underwent a hand rehabilitation programme using the HandTutorTM combined with traditional therapy. The control group (n = 15) received only traditional therapy. The treatment schedules for both groups were of similar duration and frequency. Improvements were evaluated using three indicators: 1) The Brunnström-Fugl-Meyer (FM) test, 2) the Box and Blocks (B&B) test and 3) improvement parameters as determined by the HandTutorTM software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Following 15 consecutive treatment sessions, a signifi cant improvement was observed within the experimental group (95% confi dence intervals) compared with the control group: B&B p = 0.015; FM p = 0.041, HandTutor™ performance accuracy on x axis and performance accuracy on y axis p < 0.0003.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results from this pilot study support further investigation of the use of the HandTutorTM in combination with traditional occupational therapy and physiotherapy during post stroke hand function rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy Department, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Stanley Steyer School of Health Professions, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel. elie@post.tau.ac.il
authors.forename: Eli
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carmeli
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peleg
authors.forename: Gadi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bartur
authors.forename: Enbal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elbo
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vatine
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation*; D026761:Physical Therapy Specialty / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012984:Software; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome