Effect of shaping in constraint-induced movement therapy on motor function of upper extremity in chronic stroke patients

Objective:To explore the rehabilitation effect of shaping in constraint-induced movement therapy(CIMT) on motor function of upper extremity(UE) in chronic stroke patients.Method:Thirty chronic stroke patients,randomly divided into 3 groups:CIMT group(CI group),shaping group and occupational therapy group(OT group),10 cases in each.CI group were treated with shaping(BT)+behavior technique+restraining in clinic and home;shaping group were treated with shaping+restraining in clinic;OT group were treated with OT+restraining in clinic.All groups were treated 3h/d,5d/week 2weeks.Wolf motor function test(WMFT) was used to assess UE motor function,and motor activity log(MAL) was used to assess UE ability in activities of daily living(ADL).WMFT were measured pre-and post-treatment.MAL were measured pre-treatment and post-treatment 1 day,post-treatment 6 months and 12 months.Result:In all groups MAL improved post-treatment 1 day compared to pre-treatment(P0.01);In CI group there were improvements of MAL post-treatment 6 and 12 months significantly(P0.01),but there was no significant improvement in shaping group and OT group(P0.05) Within groups,CI group showed significant improvement of MAL compared to shaping group and OT group(P0.01),but no significant improvement between shaping group and OT group(P0.05).There was no improvement of WMFT in all groups pre-and post-treatment(P0.05).Conclusion:Efficacy of shaping is similar to that of OT on UE motor ability,but CIMT can improve motor ability of UE significantly and can keep the effect until post-treatment 12 months by shaping applied with BT together.The rehabilitation effect of BT in treatments for stroke patients should be emphasized.