Feasibility of high-repetition, task-specific training for individuals with upper-extremity paresis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. We investigated the feasibility of delivering an individualized, progressive, high-repetition upper-extremity (UE) task-specific training protocol for people with stroke in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. METHOD. Fifteen patients with UE paresis participated in this study. Task-specific UE training was scheduled for 60 min/day, 4 days/wk, during occupational therapy for the duration of a participant's inpatient stay. During each session, participants were challenged to complete ≥300 repetitions of various tasks. RESULTS. Participants averaged 289 repetitions/session, spending 47 of 60 min in active training. Participants improved on impairment and activity level outcome measures. CONCLUSION. People with stroke in an inpatient setting can achieve hundreds of repetitions of task-specific training in 1-hr sessions. As expected, all participants improved on functional outcome measures. Future studies are needed to determine whether this high-repetition training program results in better outcomes than current UE interventions.

Copyright © 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Figures

Figure 1.

General time line of study. Assessments (A) were completed on a weekly basis for the duration of each participant’s admission to the inpatient rehabilitation facility, at discharge, and at 1-mo postdischarge.

Figure 2.

Individual examples of number of repetitions achieved and time spent in active practice per session over the course of the intervention.