Effects of a Bilateral upper Limb Training Program Using a Visual Feedback Method on Individuals with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Clinical Trial

This study aimed to pilot test a newly developed bilateral upper limb rehabilitation training program for improving the upper limb function of individuals with chronic stroke using a visual feedback method. The double-group pretest-posttest design pilot study included 10 individuals with chronic stroke (age >50 years). The intervention (four weekly meetings) consisted of five upper limb training protocols (wrist extension; forearm supination and pronation; elbow extension and shoulder flexion; weight-bearing shift; and shoulder, elbow, and wrist complex movements). Upper limb movement function recovery was assessed with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity, the Wolf Motor Function Test, the Trunk Control Test, the modified Ashworth Scale, and the visual analog scale at baseline, immediately after, and four weeks after the intervention. The Fatigue Severity Scale was also employed. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment of the Upper Extremity and Wolf Motor Function Test showed significant improvement in upper limb motor function. The Trunk Control Test results increased slightly, and the modified Ashworth Scale decreased slightly, without statistical significance. The visual analog scale scores showed a significant decrease and the Fatigue Severity Scale scores were moderate or low. The bilateral upper limb training program using the visual feedback method could result in slight upper limb function improvements in individuals with chronic stroke. KCI Citation Count: 0