title: A pilot study to assess use of passive extension bias to facilitate finger movement for repetitive task practice after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether active range of finger motion could be increased through the introduction of passive, external extension joint torques in stroke survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five chronic stroke survivors with severe hand impairment resulting from hemiparesis took part in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed 2 experimental sessions in which hand movement and function were assessed. In one session, they wore a custom orthotic glove (X-Glove) that passively supplied extension torques to the joints of the fingers. In the second session, they performed the same tasks as in the other session, but without the glove. Outcome measures consisted of active range of motion, distance of the fingertip from the hand, selected tasks from the Graded Wolf Motor Function Test (GWMFT), and the Box and Blocks (BB) test. Primary results with and without the glove were compared using paired t tests with a Bonferroni correction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Active range of motion improved significantly by over 50%, from 4.4 cm to 6.7 cm, when the X-Glove was worn (P = .011). The distance of the fingertip from the metacarpophalangeal joint increased by an average of 2.2 cm for 4 of the subjects, although this change was not significant across all 5 subjects (P = .123). No significant differences were observed in the BB or GWMFT whether the X-Glove was worn or not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Introduction of passive extension torque can improve active range of motion for the fingers, even in chronic stroke survivors with substantial hand impairment. The increased range of motion would facilitate therapeutic training of the hand, potentially even in the home environment, although the bulk of the orthosis should be minimized to facilitate interactions with real objects.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: B T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Iwamuro
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kamper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015982:Bias; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome