Article

Feedback is an important element in motor learning during rehabilitation therapy
following stroke.
The objective of this pilot study was to better understand the
effect of position feedback during task-oriented reach training of the upper limb
in people with chronic stroke. Five subjects participated in the training for 30
minutes three times a week for 6 weeks. During training, subjects performed
reaching movements over a predefined path. When deviation from this path
occurred, shoulder and elbow joints received position feedback using restraining
forces. We recorded the amount of position feedback used by each subject. During
pre- and posttraining assessments, we collected data from clinical scales,
isometric strength, and workspace of the arm. All subjects showed improvement on
one or several kinematic variables during a circular motion task after training.
One subject showed improvement on all clinical scales. Subjects required position
feedback between 7.4% and 14.7% of training time. Although augmented feedback use
was limited, kinematic outcome measures and movement performance during training
increased in all subjects, which was comparable with other studies. Emphasis on
movement errors at the moment they occur may possibly stimulate motor learning
when movement tasks with sufficiently high levels of difficulty are applied.

Langue : ANGLAIS