Comparing Different Rehabilitation Exercise Strategies for Improving Arm Recovery After Stroke

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE · May 26, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how extra arm exercises can help improve recovery after a stroke. Specifically, it will compare two different ways of doing these extra exercises while patients are in the Acute Rehabilitation Unit. One approach involves a personalized program of hand and arm exercises designed by a rehabilitation therapist. The other method uses a special movable armrest on a wheelchair that helps participants move their arm back and forth while sitting.

To be eligible for this study, participants should be between 18 and 84 years old, have had a stroke within the last 3 to 4 weeks, and be currently receiving rehabilitation for stroke. They should also have some movement ability in their affected arm but not experience significant shoulder pain when using the movable armrest. Participants can expect to receive additional support for their arm recovery and will work closely with therapists throughout the study. It’s important to note that individuals with certain medical conditions or severe impairments that could interfere with the study will not be eligible. This trial aims to find out which exercise method is more effective in helping patients regain arm function after a stroke.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. 18 to 84 years of age
• • 2. Experienced a single stroke or multiple strokes \>3 days and \< 4 weeks prior to study enrollment, and currently admitted or accepted into Acute Rehabilitation program for stroke.
• • 3. UE Fugl-Meyer Motor Score \<42/66
• • 4. Absence of moderate to severe shoulder pain while using the movable wheelchair arm rest device (\<6 on the 10-point visual analog pain scale)
• • 5. Absence of severe tone at the affected UE (score \<4 on the Modified Ashworth Spasticity Scale)
• • 6. Deem to be an appropriate candidate for manual wheelchair by ARU clinicians. A patient who has been able to transfer into a wheelchair while at ARU (with or without assistance) and has tolerated sitting in the wheelchair for at least 30 minutes.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
• • 2. Presence of other neurological or psychological disorders affecting motor functions
• • 3. Moderate to severe pain in the stroke-affected upper extremity (score \> 6 on 10-point visual analog pain scale), while using the movable wheelchair arm rest device
• • 4. Severe tone at the affected upper extremity (score \> 4 on the Modified Ashworth Spasticity scale)
• • 5. Severe aphasia (score of 2 or higher on the NIH stroke scale - question 9). PI may dismiss this criterion if the participant is deemed able to follow all study instructions.
• • 6. Deficits in vision, language, attention, neglect, or other cognitive functions severe enough to interfere with safe operation of wheelchair or the movable wheelchair arm rest device.
• • 7. Currently pregnant
• • 8. Difficulty in understanding or complying with instructions given by the experimenter.
• • 9. Inability to perform the experimental task that will be studied.
• • 10. Not part of another upper extremity motor-related interventional study