New Physical Therapy For Stroke Patients Shows Potential

A new approach of physical therapy called Constraint Induced Therapy appears effective in making weak limbs work better in stroke patients, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reported in Birmingham News.

The controlled study called the Extremity Constraint Induced Therapy Evaluation, or Excite included seven academic medical centers and 222 stroke patients who had impaired arm and hand functions. The stroke patients were divided into two groups. One group received the conventional physical therapy, and the other half got CI therapy, a form of physical therapy during which a stroke victim is forced to repeatedly use an impaired limb. By limiting the use of the nonaffected arm thru wearing a weighted mitt, the stroke patient is forced to use the weak arm. After a year, results showed significant improvements in the hand functions of the CI therapy group. They were able to perform daily activities much better than the other group who did not received constrained therapy.

The study is based on the long-standing research of psychologist Edward Taub at the University of Alabama who studies recovery patterns of motor functions with animals and humans. He found that forced use of the impaired limb leads to rewiring of the brain by enlarging shrunken areas and recruiting new areas to control movement.