The Effect of differential training-based occupational therapy on hand and arm function in patients after stroke: results of the pilot study

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of differential training-based occupational therapy on the recovery of arm function and to compare these data with the results obtained after conventional occupational therapy. Methods: A total of 27 patients who had suffered a cerebral infarction in the left brain hemisphere were recruited for the study. There were 9 men (33.33%) and 18 women (66.67%). All the patients had paresis of the right arm. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the control group comprised 15 patients who were given conventional occupational therapy (5 times per week) and the study group consisted of 12 patients who underwent conventional occupational therapy (3 times per week) along with occupational therapy based on differential training (2 times per week). Results: In the control group, the mean performance time of only 2 tasks, i.e., flip cards and fold towel, improved significantly (P < 0.05), while significant deterioration in the mean performance time of the task ‘‘lift can’’ was observed (P < 0.05). In the study group, the mean performance time of all the tasks except for forearm to box (side), hand to box (front), and lift paperclip improved significantly (P < 0.05), and no deterioration in arm function was observed. Conclusion: Both patients' groups improved arm function after occupational therapy sessions, but the patients who underwent conventional occupational therapy along with differential training-based occupational therapy recovered their arm function more effectively than their counterparts after conventional occupational therapy.