A Comparative Study on the Effect of Task Specific Training on Right Versus Left Chronic Stroke Patients

Reem M. Alwhaibi, Noha F. Mahmoud, Hoda M. Zakaria, Wanees M. Badawy, Mahmoud Y. Elzanaty, Walaa M. Ragab, Maher S. Benjadid, Nisreen N. Al Awaji and Hager R. Elserougy
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Reem M. Alwhaibi: Rehabilitation Sciences Department, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences College, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Noha F. Mahmoud: Rehabilitation Sciences Department, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences College, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Hoda M. Zakaria: Department of Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
Wanees M. Badawy: Department of Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
Mahmoud Y. Elzanaty: Department of Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
Walaa M. Ragab: Department of Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt
Maher S. Benjadid: Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Prince Sultan Military Medical School, Riyadh 11159, Saudi Arabia
Nisreen N. Al Awaji: Health Communication Sciences Department, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences College, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Hager R. Elserougy: Department of Neuromuscular Disorders and its Surgery, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Misr University for Science and Technology, Giza 77, Egypt

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-11

Abstract: Functional impairment of the upper limb (UL) after stroke is a great problem. Finding methods that can improve UL function after stroke is a major concern to all medical service providers. This study was intended to compare the effect of upper limb task specific training (TST) on brain excitability of the affected hemisphere and motor function improvements in patients with left and right stroke. Forty male patients with mild impairment of UL functions were divided into two equal groups; G1 consisted of patients with left hemisphere affection (right side stroke) while G2 consisted of patients with right hemisphere affection (left side stroke). All patients received TST for the affected UL for one hour, three sessions per week for six consecutive weeks. Evaluation was performed twice, pre-, and post-treatment. Outcome measures used were Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Box and Block Test (BBT) as measures of UL motor function and Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG) of motor and sensory areas of the affected hemisphere as a measure of brain reorganization post-stroke. Both groups showed improvement in motor function of the affected UL measured by WMFT and BBT with reported significant difference between them. G1 showed greater improvement in motor function of the affected UL post-treatment compared to G2. Additionally, there was a significant increase in peak frequency of motor and sensory areas with higher and significant excitability in G1 only. These findings imply that brain reorganization in the left hemisphere responded more to TST compared to the right hemisphere. Based on findings of the current study, we can recommend adding TST to the physical therapy program in stroke patients with left hemisphere lesions.

Keywords: stroke; motor impairment; task specific training; motor brain area; sensory brain area; quantitative electroencephalogram (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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