ORIGINAL ARTICLE   Free access

European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2021 December;57(6):866-73

DOI: 10.23736/S1973-9087.21.06739-3

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Motor coordination and grip strength in stroke patients: an observational study

Anna OLCZAK ^{1, 2} ✉

¹ Rehabilitation Clinic, Military Institute of Medicine, Warsaw, Poland; ² Social Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland

BACKGROUND: Stroke patients often have weakness of the shoulder (scapular) stabilizers, which may contribute to motor impairment of the hand and wrist.
AIM: of the study was to analyze the effect of stabilization of the affected upper limb and the break in the examination on hand motor coordination and grip strength in patients after stroke in relation to healthy subjects.
DESIGN: An observational study.
SETTING: A hospital Rehabilitation Department.
POPULATION: Eighty post-stroke patients mean, 62±17 years, and 77 healthy individuals mean, 25.7±6.5 years.
METHODS: A Hand Tutor device and manual dynamometer were used to measure hand motor coordination parameters. Subjects were assessed in two positions: supine with the tested upper extremity extended perpendicularly to the vertical axis of the body (i.e., passive stabilization of the trunk; no stabilization of the shoulder), and supine with the tested upper extremity held close to the body (i.e., passive stabilization of the trunk and shoulder).
RESULTS: Stabilization of the shoulder improved the motor coordination parameters of the fingers and the wrist, and resulted in greater grip strength in post-stroke patients and healthy subjects (P<0.001). Local stabilization of the shoulder was particularly beneficial for improving hand motor coordination in females and non-dominant hands.
CONCLUSIONS: A stable position of the upper extremity can improve motor coordination and grip strength during stroke rehabilitation.
CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: Placing subjects in a supine position and stabilizing their affected upper limb may help restore motor coordination of the hand and wrist following stroke.

KEY WORDS: Stroke; Upper extremity; Motor skill disorders; Hand strength; Rehabilitation