The effect of a novel perturbation-based pinch task training on sensorimotor performance of upper extremity for chronic stroke patients: a pilot randomized control trial

Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of perturbation-based pinch task training on the sensorimotor performance of the upper extremities of chronic stroke patients via a novel vibrotactile therapy system. Design A single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Setting A university hospital. Participants Nineteen chronic stroke patients randomly assigned into either an experimental group or a control group completed the study. Interventions In addition to10 minutes of traditional sensorimotor facilitation, each participant in the experimental group received 20 minutes of perturbation-based pinch task training in each treatment session, and the controls received 20 minutes of task-specific motor training twice a week for six weeks. Main Outcome Measures The scores for the primary outcome: Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWM) and those for the secondary outcomes: Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA), amount of use (AOU), quality of movement (QOM) on the Motor Activity Log (MAL) scale, and Box and Block Test (BBT) were recorded. All outcome measures were recorded at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at the 12-week follow-up. Results There were statistically significant between-group differences in the training-induced improvements revealed in the SWM results (p = 0.04) immediately following training and in the BBT results (p = 0.05) at the 12-week follow-up. The changes in muscle tone and in the QOM, SWM, and BBT scores indicated statistically significant improvements after 12 sessions of treatment for the experimental group. For the control group, a significant statistical improvement was found in the wrist (p = 0.00) and coordination (p = 0.01) component of the FMA score. Conclusions This study indicated that the perturbation-based pinch task training has beneficial effects on sensory restoration of the affected thumb in chronic stroke patients. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT03798340; date of registration: January 9, 2019 (retrospectively registered). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03798340