This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 35/8/1914    most recent 01.STR.0000132569.33572.75v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Michaelsen, S. M. Articles by Levin, M. F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Michaelsen, S. M. Articles by Levin, M. F. Related Collections Exercise/exercise testing/rehabilitation Rehabilitation, Stroke

(Stroke. 2004;35:1914.)
© 2004 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Short-Term Effects of Practice With Trunk Restraint on Reaching Movements in Patients With Chronic Stroke

A Controlled Trial

From the School of Rehabilitation, University of Montreal (S.M.M., M.F.L.), and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation (M.F.L.), Rehabilitation Institute of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Correspondence to Dr Mindy F. Levin, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Institute of Montreal, 6300 Darlington, Montreal, Quebec H3S 2J4, Canada. E-mail mindy.levin{at}umontreal.ca

Background and Purpose— In prehension tasks with objects placed within arm’s reach, patients with hemiparesis caused by stroke use excessive trunk movement to compensate for arm motor impairments. Compensatory trunk movements may improve motor function in the short term but may limit arm recovery in the long term. Previous studies showed that restriction of trunk movements during reach-to-grasp movements results in immediate increases in active arm joint ranges and improvement in interjoint coordination. To evaluate the potential of this technique as a therapeutic intervention, we compared the effects of short-term reach-to-grasp training (60-trial training session) with and without physical trunk restraint on arm movement patterns in patients with chronic hemiparesis.

Methods— A total of 28 patients with hemiparesis were assigned to 2 groups: 1 group practiced reach-to-grasp movements during which compensatory movement of the trunk was prevented by a harness (trunk restraint), and the second group practiced the same task while verbally instructed not to move the trunk (control). Kinematics of reaching and grasping an object placed within arm’s length were recorded before, immediately after, and 24 hours after training.

Results— The trunk restraint group used more elbow extension, less anterior trunk displacement, and had better interjoint coordination than the control group after training, and range of motion was maintained 24 hours later in only the trunk restraint group.

Conclusions— Restriction of compensatory trunk movements during practice may lead to greater improvements in reach-to-grasp movements in patients with chronic stroke than practice alone, and longer-term effects of this intervention should be evaluated.

Key Words: hemiplegia • rehabilitation • recovery of function

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M Wagner, J. A Rhodes, and C. Patten Reproducibility and Minimal Detectable Change of Three-Dimensional Kinematic Analysis of Reaching Tasks in People With Hemiparesis After Stroke Physical Therapy, May 1, 2008; 88(5): 652 - 663. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.C. Cirstea and M.F. Levin Improvement of Arm Movement Patterns and Endpoint Control Depends on Type of Feedback During Practice in Stroke Survivors Neurorehabil Neural Repair, October 1, 2007; 21(5): 398 - 411. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. M. Michaelsen, R. Dannenbaum, and M. F. Levin Task-Specific Training With Trunk Restraint on Arm Recovery in Stroke: Randomized Control Trial Stroke, January 1, 2006; 37(1): 186 - 192. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]