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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
The Combined Use of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Robotic Therapy for the Upper Limb
Published on: September 23, 2018
Effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy in chronic stroke patients
Areerat Suputtitada1, Nijasri C Suwanwela, Suwita Tumvitee
1Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. sareerat@hotmail.com
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) in dexterity with Action Research Arm Test (ARA test), hand grip strength, pinch strength of affected upper extremity in chronic stroke patients.
Material And Method:
An observer-blinded randomized control trial, 69 chronic stroke patients were allocated either to constraint-induced movement technique (n = 33) or conservative treatment (n = 36). The CIMT group received 6 hours of daily affected-upper-extremity training and restrained unaffected upper extremities for 5 days per week, totally 2 weeks. The control group received bimanual-upper-extremity training by conservative neurodevelopmental technique without restrained unaffected upper extremities for 2 weeks.
Results:
The CIMT group had ARA scores, pinch strength of affected upper extremities statistically significant higher than the control group at p < 0.05, but the hand grip strength had no statistically significant difference, p > 0.05.
Conclusions:
CIMT of unaffected upper extremities has an advantage for chronic stroke patients which may be an efficacious technique of improving motor activity and exhibiting learned nonuse.
