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Updated: Jun 6, 2025
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Upper Limb Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients Through Advanced Robotic and Neuromodulation Technologies
Published on: October 11, 2024
Predictors of upper limb motor recovery in stroke survivors: a pre-post test study design
Hope Muwanei Sikuka1, Joseph Lupenga2, Loveness Nkhata3
1Department of Physiotherapy, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia hopemuwanei@gmail.com.
Objectives:
The study aimed to assess the predictors of upper limb motor recovery in stroke survivors.
Design:
Pre-post test study design.
Setting:
Conducted in two centres (First Level Hospital and University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka).
Participants:
Patients living with stroke accessing physiotherapy services at the two public hospitals. A total of 52 patients were recruited at the start of the study, 6 were lost to follow-up and 46 completed the study.
Intervention:
Conventional physiotherapy for 8 weeks (5 September 2022-28 October 2022).
Primary Outcome:
Motor function measured using a Fugl-Meyer assessment of the upper extremity.
Results:
Analysis was conducted on 46 participants. A significant difference was observed between the level of motor function at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment (p=0.0183). At baseline, 50% of participants had mild motor function, which improved after 8 weeks, with 69.6% having mild motor function. Stroke patients with severe motor function impairment at baseline were associated with 0.01 times likelihood of having mild motor function impairment after 8 weeks of physiotherapy treatment (AOR 0.01; 95 % CI 0.00 to 0.16; p=0.002).
Conclusion:
The motor function of stroke patients continues to improve over time. This study demonstrated that initial upper limb motor function impairment could be used as a predictor for upper limb motor function.
