The study which was conducted at the University of Florida concentrated on the benefits physical therapy would give to stroke victims who still had persistent disabilities.
The 39 participants of the study had all completed standard care for their stroke a year or more before, and were split up into two different groups. Both groups at least doubled their score on a scale that measures coordination.
Janis Daly, director of the National Veterans Affairs Brain Rehabilitation Research Center of Excellence said that, “The magnitude of recovery we observed in our study is higher than any other studies that have been published so far, which supports the promise of longer treatment and more intensive treatment after stroke, even for those who are more severely impaired.”
One of the groups for five hours daily would conduct motor learning. According to Daly, motor learning is similar to a beginner learning a new tennis stroke. The participants would practice a movement as deliberately as they could.
The other group, in addition to motor learning training 3.5 hours a day, would receive robot-assisted or electrical-assisted stimulation rehabilitation.
With their arms cradled in a support, Patients would focus on their shoulders and elbows by using a computer monitor and robot software to practice reaching imaginary targets.What do you think?
During electrical-assisted rehabilitation, electrodes were attached to participant’s arms and stimulated the forearm muscles. The patient’s hand would be lifted up through this process.
The recovery for each stroke victim was unique, Daly said, “Some had dramatic recovery, some had less. Some were able to perform functional tasks that they weren’t able to do before; some recovered the ability to move their arm so they could actually place the arm for functional tasks, for example into the sleeve of a sweater.”
(Source: dailycaller.com)
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