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Effects of wrist tendon vibration on targeted upper-arm movements in poststroke hemiparesis. Neurorehabil Neural Repair 2011 Jan;25(1):61-70

Date

10/06/2010

Pubmed ID

20921324

DOI

10.1177/1545968310378507

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-79953883518 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   45 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Impaired motor control of the upper extremity after stroke may be related to lost sensory, motor, and integrative functions of the brain. Artificial activation of sensory afferents might improve control of movement by adding excitatory drive to sensorimotor control structures. The authors evaluated the effect of wrist tendon vibration (TV) on paretic upper-arm stability during point-to-point planar movements.

METHODS: TV (70 Hz) was applied to the forearm wrist musculature of 10 hemiparetic stroke patients as they made center-out planar arm movements. End-point stability, muscle activity, and grip pressure were compared as patients stabilized at the target position for trials completed before, during, and after the application of the vibratory stimulus.

RESULTS: Prior to vibration, hand position fluctuated as participants attempted to maintain the hand at the target after movement termination. TV improved arm stability, as evidenced by decreased magnitude of hand tangential velocity at the target. Improved stability was accompanied by a decrease in muscle activity throughout the arm as well as a mean decrease in grip pressure.

CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that vibratory stimulation of the distal wrist musculature enhances stability of the proximal arm and can be studied further as a mode for improving end-point stability during reaching in hemiparetic patients.

Author List

Conrad MO, Scheidt RA, Schmit BD

Authors

Robert Scheidt BS,MS,PhD Associate Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Marquette University
Brian Schmit PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Marquette University




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Arm
Biofeedback, Psychology
Biomechanical Phenomena
Electromyography
Evoked Potentials, Motor
Hand Strength
Humans
Middle Aged
Movement
Muscle, Skeletal
Paresis
Physical Therapy Modalities
Recovery of Function
Statistics as Topic
Stroke
Vibration
Wrist