Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
The Impact of Motor Task Conditions on Goal-Directed Arm Reaching Kinematics and Trunk Compensation in Chronic Stroke Survivors
Published on: May 2, 2021
Group-based constraint-induced movement therapy in the rehabilitation of chronic poststroke patients
Fábio R O Galvão1, Maria C A Silvestre, Camila L A Gomes
1Occupational Therapy, MD, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte - Faculty of Health Sciences of Trairí, Av. Rio Branco, 435 - Centro, Santa Cruz - Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.
Background:
This study aimed to describe the effects of a 90-minute group-based constraint-induced movement therapy protocol (CIMT) on upper extremity (UE) rehabilitation in poststroke patients.
Method:
The study was a case series clinical study with 6 patients with chronic stroke admitted to the institutional integrated clinic. Ten 90-minute CIMT sessions were administered, based on the principles of the original therapy. On completion of the protocol, participants underwent group care once a week, for 1 hour a day. For comparison purposes, the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Motor Activity Log (MAL), and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were applied on admission, shortly after completing the protocol, and 3 months after completion. In addition, the MAL and shaping tasks were applied daily.
Results:
There was a statistically significant difference only in the MAL Amount of Use Scale applied daily between the 2nd (3.56) and 9th (3.31) and 2nd and 10th days (4.49) (P = .004), with a moderate effect size (d' = 0.46), and in the average value of shaping repetitions between the 1st (16.10) and 2nd (6.00) and 1st and 10th tasks (7.00) (P = .014), with a moderate effect size (d' = 0.35).
Conclusion:
The 90-minute CIMT protocol resulted in significant improvements in use of the more affected arm in activities of daily living during the 2-week protocol. Additional research with a larger sample and a control group is needed to confirm its effectiveness.
