Article

Objective: To assess joint position sense performance in subacute stroke patients
using a novel quantitative assessment. Design:
Proof-of-principle pilot study
with a group of subacute stroke patients. Assessment at baseline and after 2
weeks of intervention. Additional data for a healthy age-matched control group.
Subjects/patients: Ten subacute stroke patients (aged 65.41 years (standard
deviation 2.5), 4 females, 2.3 weeks (standard deviation 0.2)) post-stroke
receiving in-patient standard rehabilitation and repetitive electrical
stimulation of the affected hand. Methods: Joint position sense was assessed
based on the ability of correctly perceiving the opening angles of the finger
joints. Patients had to report size differences of polystyrene balls of various
sizes, whilst the balls were enclosed simultaneously by the affected and the
non-affected hands. A total of 21 pairwise size comparisons was used to quantify
joint position performance. Results: After 2 weeks of therapeutic intervention a
significant improvement in joint position sense performance was observed;
however, the performance level was still below that of a healthy control group.
Conclusions: The results indicate high feasibility and sensitivity of the joint
position test in subacute stroke patients. Testing allowed quantification of both
the deficit and the rehabilitation outcome.

Langue : ANGLAIS