He is his own physiotherapist
In the United States alone, about 800,000 people have a stroke every year. In many cases, this leads to paralysis of varying severity or partial paralysis of one half of the body. One of the problems for such patients is a violation of the work of the hand, in particular, the inability to open the palm. A common method of rehabilitation in such cases is the effect of weak electrical impulses to stimulate paralyzed muscles, improve the compression force of the hand and, possibly, restore its functionality. The intensity of stimulation, the duration of the course and the number of sessions are set by the attending physician.
Researchers working under the guidance of Associate Professor Jamie Knutson (Jayme S. Knutson) from Case Western Reserve University have proposed a new experimental therapy, in which the patient independently regulates the stimulation of the affected hand using a sensor-equipped glove worn on a healthy hand. When the palm of the healthy hand is opened, the corresponding electrical stimulation opens the palm of his affected hand. This allows the patient to control movements and directly participate in therapy.
80 stroke patients participated in the clinical study of the new method. Half of them received experimental therapy for 12 weeks, and the other half received traditional therapy. Both groups used electrical stimulators at home for about 10 hours a week. In addition, they performed exercises for the development of the arm for 3 hours a week under the supervision of a specialist in physical therapy in the laboratory. The functional capabilities of the hand were evaluated before and after the end of therapy using a standard dexterity test. The result of this test is recorded as the number of cubes that the patient can lift, transfer over the barrier and release in another area on the table within 60 seconds.
According to the observations made by the authors, the new therapy provided more pronounced improvements in the results of the hand dexterity test (4.6 cubes) compared to the control group (1.8 cubes). At the same time, the strongest improvements were observed in patients who were included in the study less than two years after the stroke, as well as those who retained at least partial finger mobility. Improvements for this group amounted to 9.6 cc, while for the corresponding patients of the control group – 4.1 cc. In addition, in patients with completely lost finger mobility after the new therapy, improvements in hand mobility were also recorded. In general, at the end of therapy, 97% of patients in the experimental group noted an improvement in the mobility of the affected hands compared to the baseline level.
To confirm the results obtained, the authors plan to conduct a multicenter study, as well as to evaluate the improvement in the quality of life of patients who have undergone experimental therapy. While the authors suggest that the new therapy may contribute to changing the nerve contacts of the brain that control the movements of the hands, additional studies are needed to assess its effect on the central nervous system.
Article by Jayme S. Knutson et al. Contralaterally Controlled Functional Electrical Stimulation Improves Hand Dexterity in Chronic Hemiparesis A Randomized Trial published in the journal Stroke.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the American Heart Association: New electrical stimulation therapy may improve hand function after stroke.
13.09.2016