Preventing contractures at the wrist after stroke improves functional recovery of the upper limb

In the March edition of Clinical Rehabilitation http://bit.ly/eE2Wtj Dr. Malhotra and her team from School of Health and Rehabilitation, Keele University, UK and Department of Emergency Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Kings County Hospital, USA investigate the time course of development of spasticity and contractures at the wrist after stroke and explore the association with upper limb functional recovery. The group found that participants who recovered arm function showed signs of spasticity at all assessment points but did not develop contractures. Contractures were more likely to develop in patients who did not recover arm function.
The HandTutor and ArmTutor system encourages active exercise practice with the patietn being motivated early after stroke to stretch actively elbow, wrist and fingures which helps to prevent the onset of contractures.