CI Therapy for upper limb
43 clients with brain injury, stroke or cerebral palsy were involved in pilot evaluation of results of CI Therapy for upper limb. Their average age was 55.6 years.
The effect of the therapy was evaluated using the following tests:
Motor Activity Log for upper limb (MAL UL) is a structured questionnaire that tracked the quality and quantity of use of the more afflicted limb outside the clinical environment. Clients were asked standardised questions about quality and duration of using the paretic limb and about quality of its movements during stated functional activities.
Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) evaluates free activity of upper limbs by clinical standardised examination. It is a functional evaluation of fine and gross motor skills of upper limbs. The clients performed four types of movements with the upper limb during the examination. Execution of every movement was qualitatively differentiated. The more difficult the movement, the higher the point score.
As the chart below indicates, the function of upper limb can be significantly improved through CI Therapy.
Clients who started the therapy within 12 months after the disorder had occurred showed an improvement of 118%. Where 1-3 years had passed since the injury, the improvement was of 180%. The most significant improvement, of 190%, can be observed in clients who underwent the therapy after more than 3 years since the disorder had occurred.
As the chart below shows, improvement occured in all monitored parameters except the symmetry of distribution of weight while standing. This is probably due to the short time for fixation and automation of this spontaneous function.
Out of the 24 clients involved in the study, 6 stopped using unilateral support (crutch or walking stick) after three weeks of therapy.
