Recovery in the Severely Impaired Arm Post-Stroke After Mirror Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of mirror therapy on recovery in the severely impaired arm after stroke.

Design: Using single-blind randomized controlled design, patients with severely impaired arm within 1-month post-stroke were assigned to receive mirror therapy (n = 20) or control therapy (n = 21), 30 mins twice daily for 4 wks in addition to conventional rehabilitation. During mirror therapy and control therapy, subjects practiced similar structured exercises in both arms, except that mirror reflection of the unaffected arm was the visual feedback for mirror therapy, but mirror was absent for control therapy so that subjects could watch both arms in exercise.

Corticomotor Excitability Effects of Peripheral Nerve Electrical Stimulation to the Paretic Arm in Stroke.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the corticomotor excitability changes after peripheral nerve electrical stimulation (PNS) on the stroke-impaired arm.

Design: This randomized cross-over study included 32 subjects with chronic stroke. They received a 1-hr PNS or placebo PNS by random order to the ulnar and radial nerves of the paretic arm in separate sessions.

Transcranial direct current stimulation to primary motor area improves hand dexterity and selective attention in chronic stroke.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied to the primary motor hand area modulates hand dexterity and selective attention after stroke.

Design: This study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover trial involving subjects with chronic stroke. Ten stroke survivors with some pinch strength in the paretic hand received three different tDCS interventions assigned in random order in separate sessions-anodal tDCS targeting the primary motor area of the lesioned hemisphere (M1lesioned), cathodal tDCS applied to the contralateral hemisphere (M1nonlesioned), and sham tDCS-each for 20 mins.

Reliability of transcranial magnetic stimulation induced corticomotor excitability measurements for a hand muscle in healthy and chronic stroke subjects.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used to evaluate neuroplastic changes in the brain in clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to establish the test-retest reliability of 4 TMS measures of corticomotor excitability - (1) resting motor threshold, (2) slope of input-output curve, (3) peak motor evoked potential amplitude, and (4) cortical silent period duration for the corticospinal projections to the first dorsal interosseous of the contralateral hand. Fourteen healthy subjects (mean age 27.

Electrical acupoint stimulation of the affected arm in acute stroke: a placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To determine whether adding electrical stimulation of upper limb acupoints to conventional rehabilitation during acute stroke could produce greater and longer lasting motor improvements of the arm.

Design: Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Acute stroke wards, followed by rehabilitation hospitals and subjects' residences.

Short-form Tai Chi improves standing balance of people with chronic stroke.

Background And Objective: Our previous findings showed that 4 weeks of intensive Tai Chi practice improved standing balance in healthy seniors. This study set out to investigate whether Tai Chi could improve standing balance in subjects with chronic stroke.

Methods: One hundred thirty-six subjects >6 months after stroke were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 62) practicing general exercises or a Tai Chi group (n = 74) for 12 weeks of training.

Predicting recovery of dextrous hand function in acute stroke.

Purpose: To determine the clinical characteristics during acute stroke that predicted dextrous function in the paretic hand at 6 months post-stroke.

Method: Fifty-seven patients within 5 days post-stroke were recruited in stroke wards. Recovery of dextrous hand function, indicated by a score of > or =35 of Action Research Arm Test, was assessed weekly in the first 4 weeks then monthly till 6 months post-stroke.

Does weight-shifting exercise improve postural symmetry in sitting in people with hemiplegia?

Background: Weight-shifting exercise was empirically practised in correcting the biased posture of people with stroke-induced hemiplegia.

Objectives: (1) Evaluate the loading symmetry at the buttock-seat interface as a reflection of a postural defect in sitting. (2) Investigate if weight-shifting exercises could correct the postural problem of people with hemiplegia.

Does balance or motor impairment of limbs discriminate the ambulatory status of stroke survivors?

Objective: This study was performed to determine if ambulatory function is governed by motor impairment of limbs or balance ability in subjects with hemiplegia caused by stroke.

Design: Seven patients who walked with physical assistance (FIM 4) after stroke and 13 who walked independently with assistive devices (FIM 6) were compared with 13 healthy subjects. Motor impairment of limbs was evaluated with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment.