Peer Group Regulated mCIMT Program for Adult Stroke Patients: Effects on Functional Activities

"All participants of control and experimental groups received standard stroke rehabilitation. After regular office time, a 2 hours' peer group session was provided, 5 days/week, 4 consecutive weeks, to both groups. One patient 'leads' the group exercises under a therapist's supervision. The therapist is mainly helping and correcting patients during the various exercise tasks.~• Specific for the experimental group was that patients performed all manipulation tasks with forced use of the paretic hand/arm by wearing a soft-padded mitten at the non-paretic hand, preventing manipulation with that hand. Patients were encouraged to wear the mitten also for 3 hours/day at home, while performing ADL and learned exercises. Behavioural strategies included a treatment contract and daily use of the home activity checklist which was checked by patient's caregiver and signed by both patient and caregiver. Each treatment day the activity checklist was submitted to the therapist who gives feedback."

"All participants of control and experimental groups received standard stroke. After regular office time, a 2 hours' peer group session was provided, 5 days/week, 4 consecutive weeks, to both groups. One patient 'leads' the group exercises under a therapist's supervision. The therapist is mainly helping and correcting patients during the various exercise tasks.~Specific for the control group was that patients performed all manipulation tasks bimanually, as they used to do in occupational therapy activities. Patients were also asked to document their 'at home' activities in an activity checklist that was regularly checked by the therapists."