title: Effect of constraint-induced movement therapy and mirror therapy for patients with subacute stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and combined mirror therapy for inpatient rehabilitation of the patients with subacute stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients with subacute stroke were enrolled and randomly divided into three groups: CIMT combined with mirror therapy group, CIMT only group, and control group. Two weeks of CIMT for 6 hours a day with or without mirror therapy for 30 minutes a day were performed under supervision. All groups received conventional occupational therapy for 40 minutes a day for the same period. The CIMT only group and control group also received additional self-exercise to substitute for mirror therapy. The box and block test, 9-hole Pegboard test, grip strength, Brunnstrom stage, Wolf motor function test, Fugl-Meyer assessment, and the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index were performed prior to and two weeks after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After two weeks of treatment, the CIMT groups with and without mirror therapy showed higher improvement (p<0.05) than the control group, in most of functional assessments for hemiplegic upper extremity. The CIMT combined with mirror therapy group showed higher improvement than CIMT only group in box and block test, 9-hole Pegboard test, and grip strength, which represent fine motor functions of the upper extremity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short-term CIMT combined with mirror therapy group showed more improvement compared to CIMT only group and control group, in the fine motor functions of hemiplegic upper extremity for the patients with subacute stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Bon Il
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Beom
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Yoon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Shin
keywords: Constraint-induced movement therapy; Fine motor exercise; Hemiplegic upper extremity; Mirror therapy; Subacute stroke