THURSDAY, Nov. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Thermal stimulation of stroke patients' hands and wrists during orthopedic rehabilitation may increase their mobility and muscle activity compared to those without stimulation, according to a study in the December issue of Stroke.
Fu-Zen Shaw, Ph.D., of National Chiao Tung University in Hsinchu, Taiwan, and colleagues randomly assigned 46 acute stroke survivors to either standard rehabilitation treatment or to standard treatment plus 30 minutes of daily thermal stimulation for six weeks. During thermal stimulation of the patients' hands and wrists, the researchers alternately applied a pack heated to 75 degrees Celsius (167 degrees Fahrenheit) and a pack chilled to slightly below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
The thermal stimulation patients had significantly higher recovery rates than controls in four measures: Brunnstrom stage, modified motor assessment scale, angles of wrist extension and flexion, and sensation by monofilament. Muscle tone was similar in both groups.
"A great improvement of functional outcome within a shortest amount of time from stroke onset is beneficial for rehabilitation of stroke patients," the authors state. "In this study, we provided evidence for facilitation of several sensory/motor outcomes by TS intervention during a 6-week period without alteration of muscle tone. The recovery rate of functional outcome was stable and significant."
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