Effectiveness of Bilateral Arm Training for Improving Extremity Function and Activities of Daily Living Performance in Hemiplegic Patients.
BACKGROUND
Bilateral movement therapy, which encourages simultaneous use of the limbs on both the affected and nonaffected sides, is known to help in motor function recovery in hemiplegic patients. However, studies on the effectiveness of bilateral arm training for improving upper limb function and activities of daily living (ADL) performance in hemiplegic stroke patients are lacking. The present study investigated the effectiveness of bilateral arm training for improving upper limb function and ADL performance in hemiplegic stroke patients.


METHODS
The study included 30 hemiplegic stroke patients. The patients were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). All patients received a uniform general occupational therapy session lasting 30 minutes 5 times a week for 8 weeks. The experimental group received an additional session of bilateral arm training lasting 30 minutes, and the control group received an additional session of general occupational therapy lasting 30 minutes. The Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), Box and Block Test (BBT), and modified Barthel index (MBI) were used for evaluation.


RESULTS
In both the experimental and control groups, the FMA, BBT, and MBI scores were significantly higher after the intervention than before the intervention (P <.05). The changes in the FMA, BBT, and MBI scores were greater in the experimental group than in the control group (P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral arm training along with general occupational therapy might be more effective than occupational therapy alone for improving upper limb function and ADL performance in hemiplegic stroke patients.
Department of Occupational Therapy, Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea.
Min-Jae
MJ
Lee
Department of Physical Therapy, College of Nursing and Healthcare Sciences, Dong-Eui University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Jung-Hoon
JH
Lee
Department of Physical Therapy, College of science, Kyung-sung University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Hyun-Mo
HM
Koo
Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Science, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sm.lee@daegu.ac.kr.
Sun-Min
SM
Lee
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D020127:Recovery of Function; D056910:Republic of Korea; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000294:innervation*
Stroke; activities of daily living; bilateral arm training; upper extremity function