Mental practice for treating upper extremity deficits in individuals with hemiparesis after stroke.

Background: Stroke is caused by the interruption of blood flow to the brain (ischemic stroke) or the rupture of blood vessels within the brain (hemorrhagic stroke) and may lead to changes in perception, cognition, mood, speech, health-related quality of life, and function, such as difficulty walking and using the arm. Activity limitations (decreased function) of the upper extremity are a common finding for individuals living with stroke. Mental practice (MP) is a training method that uses cognitive rehearsal of activities to improve performance of those activities.

Interventions for improving community ambulation in individuals with stroke.

Background: Community ambulation refers to the ability of a person to walk in their own community, outside of their home and also indoors in private or public locations. Some people choose to walk for exercise or leisure and may walk with others as an important aspect of social functioning. Community ambulation is therefore an important skill for stroke survivors living in the community whose walking ability has been affected.

Mental practice for treating upper extremity deficits in individuals with hemiparesis after stroke.

Background: Activity limitations of the upper extremity are a common finding for individuals living with stroke. Mental practice (MP) is a training method that uses cognitive rehearsal of activities to improve performance of those activities.

Objectives: To determine if MP improves the outcome of upper extremity rehabilitation for individuals living with the effects of stroke.

Threshold Berg balance scale scores for gait-aid use in elderly subjects: a secondary analysis.

Purpose: To determine the threshold Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores that discriminate among levels of gait-aid use in elderly subjects.

Methods: A secondary analysis of data combined from two projects was performed. Both projects determined BBS performance, self-selected gait speed, and gait-aid use in samples of community-dwelling, independently ambulant individuals older than 65 years of age.