The rehabilitative effect of task-oriented training for stroke survivors / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To observe any effect of task-oriented training in the activities of daily living (ADL) for stroke patients.Methods:Sixty-two hemiplegic stroke survivors were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, each of 31. In addition to routine occupational therapy, the control group exercised on their own, while the experimental group underwent 45-minute task-oriented training sessions based on ADL action analysis every day, 5 days a week for 6 weeks consecutively. Before and after the treatment the upper limb functioning of both groups was quantified using Fugl-Meyer upper limb motor function scoring (FMA-UE) and Brunnstrom staging (BSS). ADL skill was assessed using the modified Barthel index (MBI).Results:After the treatment, the average FMA-UE and MBI scores of both groups were significantly better than before the treatment and better than the control group′s averages. The average BSS scores had also improved significantly, with that of the experimental group significantly better than the control group′s average.Conclusions:Task-oriented training based on ADL motion analysis can significantly improve upper limb motor functioning and ADL ability after a stroke despite hemiplegia. Its efficacy is better than that of conventional occupational therapy alone.