scholarly journals Playing Piano Can Improve Upper Extremity Function after Stroke: Case Studies

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myriam Villeneuve ◽  
Anouk Lamontagne

Music-supported therapy (MST) is an innovative approach that was shown to improve manual dexterity in acute stroke survivors. The feasibility of such intervention in chronic stroke survivors and its longer-term benefits, however, remain unknown. The objective of this pilot study was to estimate the short- and long-term effects of a 3-week piano training program on upper extremity function in persons with chronic stroke. A multiple pre-post sequential design was used, with measurements taken at baseline (week0, week3), prior to (week6) and after the intervention (week9), and at 3-week follow-up (week12). Three persons with stroke participated in the 3-week piano training program that combined structured piano lessons to home practice program. The songs, played on an electronic keyboard, involved all 5 digits of the affected hand and were displayed using a user-friendly MIDI program. After intervention, all the three participants showed improvements in their fine (nine hole peg test) and gross (box and block test) manual dexterity, as well as in the functional use of the upper extremity (Jebsen hand function test). Improvements were maintained at follow-up. These preliminary results support the feasibility of using an MST approach that combines structured lessons to home practice to improve upper extremity function in chronic stroke.

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 220-227
Author(s):  
Ludhiya Baby ◽  
Anoop Joy ◽  
Ranjith KV

Background: Stroke often leads to significant impairment of trunk and upper extremity functions, which is associated with decreased quality of life and functional performance in all domains. Trunk stability and control is considered to be a prerequisite for upper extremity function in stroke survivors. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the relationship between trunk impairment and upper extremity function in stroke survivors which may help in improving their ADL’s by giving proper treatment. Methods: 20 chronic stroke survivors with age group between 40 – 80 years were included in this study. Trunk impairment, upper extremity function and activities of daily living of all the participants were determined using trunk impairment scale, Chedoke arm and hand activity inventory scale (version 8) and functional independence measure – motor scoring scale. Results: Using Karl Pearson’s Correlation coefficient, moderate positive correlation was observed between TIS and CAHAI-8. Strong positive correlation was noted between TIS and FIM-M, whereas, moderate positive correlation was noted between CAHAI-8 and FIM-M which was found to be highly statistically significant. Conclusion: Our study concludes that, a moderate positive correlation exists between trunk impairment and upper extremity function in chronic stroke survivors. The study also reveals that, both trunk impairment and upper extremity function has strong and moderate correlation on their activities of daily living. Keywords: Stroke, trunk function, paretic arm, functional performance, stroke rehabilitation.


Author(s):  
Joo Yeol Jung ◽  
Pong Sub Youn ◽  
Dong Hoon Kim

AbstractThis study was performed to evaluate the effects of Mirror therapy combined with EMG-triggered Functional Electrical Stimulation on upper extremity function in patient with Chronic Stroke. A total of 24 chronic stroke patients were divided into 3 groups. Group I (n=8) was given with traditional physical therapy (TPT), group II (n=7) was given with traditional physical therapy and mirror therapy (MT), and group III (n=9) was given with traditional physical therapy and mirror therapy in conjunction with EMG-triggered Functional Electrical Stimulation (EMGFES-MT). Each group performed one hour a day 5 times a week for 6 weeks.We obtained the following result between before and after treatments about changes of elbow flexion muscle strength (EFMS), elbow extension muscle strength (EEMS), wrist flexion muscle strength (WFMS), wrist extension muscle strength (WEMS), elbow flexion range of motion (EFROM), elbow extension range of motion (EEROM), wrist flexion range of motion (WFROM), wrist extension range of motion (WEROM), grip strength (GS) and upper extremity function.Each group showed a significant difference in EFMS, EEMS, WFMS, WEMS, EFROM, EEROM, WFROM, WEROM, GS and upper extremity function (p<0.05) EMFES-MT group revealed significant differences in EEMS, WEROM, grip strength and upper extremity function as compared to the other groups (p<0.05). No difference was found in the change of spasticity among the 3 groups.Our results showed that EMFES-MT was more effective on elbow, WFMS, WEMS, AROM, grip strength and upper extremity function in patients with chronic stroke. We suggest that this study will be able to be used as an intervention data for recovering upper extremity function in chronic stroke patients


Pain Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 2939-2947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alma R Hernández-Ortíz ◽  
Raquel Ponce-Luceño ◽  
Carlos Sáez-Sánchez ◽  
Olga García-Sánchez ◽  
César Fernández-de-las-Peñas ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To investigate the effects of applying dry needling into a trigger point (TrP) or non-TrP area in people who have suffered a stroke and to investigate if the effects of dry needling are maintained at six-week follow-up. Methods A controlled, repeated-measures, crossover, double-blinded randomized trial was conducted. Nineteen patients with hemiparetic shoulder pain after a stroke event were randomly assigned to receive a single multimodal treatment session combined with TrP dry needling or non-TrP dry needling. The neuro-rehabilitation session included modulatory interventions targeting the central nervous system. Spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale), shoulder pain intensity (numerical pain rate scale, 0–10), and upper extremity function (Motor Evaluation Scale for Upper Extremity in Stroke [MESUPES], Reaching Performance Scale [RPS]) were assessed before (baseline) and one, two, three, four, five, and six weeks after the treatment session by a blinded assessor. All participants received both sessions in a randomized order where they were followed up for six weeks before receiving the opposite treatment and then followed up for another six weeks. Results Changes in muscle tone (all P &gt; 0.266) and upper extremity function (MESUPES: F = 0.544, P  = 0.465; RPS close task: F = 0.820, P = 0.371; RPS far task: 0.830, P  = 0.368) were similar after both interventions at all follow-up periods. The decrease in shoulder pain was higher within the TrP dry needling group as compared with the non-TrP dry needling group, particularly at two and four weeks (P  = 0.01). Conclusions The effect of dry needling on muscle tone (spasticity) and upper extremity function is not related to its application in or outside of a TrP area. The effect of dry needling on shoulder pain was slightly superior when applied over a TrP in poststroke people. These effects were maintained six weeks after treatment.


2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 91-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pérez-Cruzado ◽  
Jose Antonio Merchán-Baeza ◽  
Manuel González-Sánchez ◽  
Antonio I. Cuesta-Vargas

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (03) ◽  
pp. 213-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara van Bekkum ◽  
Tim de Jong ◽  
Michiel Zuidam ◽  
Marc A. M. Mureau

Abstract Background Microsurgical reconstruction of upper extremity injuries is often challenging, and the resulting impact on the quality of life (QoL) may be significant. However, there is a lack of knowledge on long-term patient-reported QoL. Methods In a retrospective long-term follow-up study, all consecutive patients with an upper extremity injury who had undergone a free flap reconstruction were identified and categorized into three groups based on the type of injury. Patient-reported upper extremity function and QoL were assessed using three validated questionnaires: the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, and the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ). Results A total of 61 patients were identified, of whom 10% had undergone a free flap reconstruction for soft tissue loss only, 62% for an injury accompanied by a fracture, and 28% for a (sub) total amputation. Twenty-one (44%) patients responded to the questionnaires, with a mean follow-up time of 9.7 ± 6.2 years. Patients, on average, reported poorer SF-36 “physical component score” and “role limitations due to physical health” scores compared with Dutch norms. Also, they reported poorer mean DASH scores compared with the general population, indicating worse upper extremity function. Mean MQH scores were lower for the injured side compared with the noninjured side. Pain correlated negatively with the total scores of DASH, MHQ, and SF-36. Conclusion Free flap upper extremity reconstruction is challenging. At 10 years of follow-up, the injury and its treatment continued to have a significant impact on the upper extremity function and daily QoL, with chronic pain being an important factor negatively affecting these outcomes.


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