Effectiveness of a self-rehabilitation program to improve upper-extremity function after stroke in developing...

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Global Health

Background:

• Upper-limb impairment affects two-thirds of stroke survivors, posing rehabilitation challenges, especially in resource-limited settings.
• There is a critical need for affordable and accessible rehabilitation solutions in developing countries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a self-rehabilitation program using functional exercises for improving upper-limb function in stroke patients in Benin, West Africa.

Main Methods:

• A single-blind randomized controlled trial involved chronic stroke patients (>6 months post-stroke) in an 8-week supervised home-based self-rehabilitation program.
• Assessments included manual ability (ABILHAND-Stroke Benin), grip force, motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer Assessment), gross manual ability (Box and Block, Wolf Motor Function tests), and quality of life (WHOQOL-26) at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significant improvements in manual ability (effect size 0.75) and grip force (effect size 0.24) compared to the control group (P<0.001).
• Improvements in manual ability were sustained at 8-week follow-up.
• Significant enhancements in physical and psychological quality of life were observed in the intervention group.

Conclusions:

• A home-based self-rehabilitation program effectively enhanced manual ability, grip force, and quality of life in stroke survivors in Benin.
• Further research is recommended to validate these findings in diverse populations and settings.