ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIT) on the affected upper extremity function and activities of daily living (ADL) for three stroke patients who were admitted into a university affiliated general hospital.Methods : This study was a single-subject experimental research with ABA design, ʻAʼ being the baseline phase and 'B' the experimental phase. The CIT consisted of a restraint of movement of the unaffected upper extremity by placing it in a sling and resting splint for 84.9% of walking hours for 12 consecutive days, combined with 6 hours/day of intensive training of the affected upper extremity. The motor function of each subject's upper extremity was assessed using a Box and Block Test and a Vertical Line Drawing Test. Assessment of each subjectʼs Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) was applied for evaluation of ADL perform-ance ability and took place during the intial and second baseline phases.Results : The average of each of the three subjects' upper extremity function tests improved during the ex-perimental phase more than in the initial baseline phase. Also the test averages of each subject during the second baseline phase improved more than during the initial baseline phase. There was also a significant im-provement in the AMPS motor skills of subject 1 and 3, whose affected areas were their dominant hands before their illness. However, the AMPS motor skills of subject 2, whose unaffected area was the subjectʼs dominant hand, did not show significant changes. Conclusion : The results of this study indicate that the CIT had a positive effect on improving the affected upper extremity function in stroke patients. Also, the improved motor functions led to an increase in per-formance ability of ADL in the subjects whose affected sides were their premorbid dominant upper extremity.