Constraint-induced movement therapy for recovery of upper-limb function following traumatic brain injury

J Rehabil Res Dev. 2005 Nov-Dec;42(6):769-78. doi: 10.1682/jrrd.2005.06.0094.

Abstract

A volunteer sample of 22 participants with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI) (onset >1 year) and relative hemiplegia that revealed moderate disability in the more-affected upper limb (UL) participated. Constraint-induced (CI) movement therapy (CI therapy) was employed for a 2-week period; treatments included massed practice, shaping of the more-affected UL, behavioral contracts, and other behavioral techniques for affecting transfer to a real-world setting. We used the Wolf Motor Function Test, the Fugl-Meyer Motor Performance Assessment, and the Motor Activity Log to measure outcomes. All outcome measures improved significantly as a result of the intervention. More-adherent participants had more improvement compared with less-adherent participants. These preliminary results suggest that CI therapy may be effective for improving UL motor function following chronic TBI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Brain Injury, Chronic / diagnosis*
  • Brain Injury, Chronic / rehabilitation*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Exercise Movement Techniques / methods*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Injury Severity Score
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Skills / physiology
  • Muscle Strength / physiology
  • Probability
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology
  • Recovery of Function
  • Restraint, Physical
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Upper Extremity / physiopathology