Effect of Modified Constraint Induced Movement Therapy on Upper Extremity Functions of Stroke Patients With Right/Left Hemisphere Damage: Single Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

For the rehabilitation of the paretic upper extremity, the use of constraint induced movement therapy and the use of modified constraint induced movement therapy are the most effective treatment strategies. The investigators aimed To analyze effect of modified constraint induced movement therapy on upper extremity functions and quality of life of subacute and chronic phase stroke patients with right/left hemisphere damage.

A total of 40 patients (20 patients with right hemiplegia and 20 patients with left hemiplegia) were enrolled in our prospective, randomized and controlled trial. Patients were randomized in to three groups. The first group consists of 10 right hemiplegia patients and the second group consists of 10 left hemiplegia patients. First and second group of patients had 10 sessions of constraint induced movement therapy as groups of 4, 5 days a week. Each patient had modified constraint induced movement therapy 1 hour a day with professional support and performed home program by themselves 3 hours a day. Patients' less affected hands were limited by the help of a glove %50 of the time they were awake. 10 patients with right hemiplegia and 10 patients with left hemiplegia formed the control group and these patients were in line for inpatient rehabilitation programme. Patients were examined before treatment, just after treatment and 3 months after treatment using Box-Block Test, cubes lined, card turned and object gripped in 30 seconds, time it takes to grip and carry a water filled glass to their mouth and putting it back, Motor Activity Log (MAL), Stroke Impact Scale, Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment Scale. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test and Friedman test were used for intragroup comparison of data and Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare data between groups.