The Effect of the Meaningful Task-Oriented Activity on Upper Extremity Function in Patient with Hemiplegic Stroke

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the influence of the meaningful task-oriented activities on upper extremity function in patients with hemiplegic stroke.

Methods/Statistical analysis: The patients were randomly divided into two group: the meaningful task training group (N=13), the general occupational therapy group (N=12). The study group get additional treatment combined with the meaningful task-oriented training, and the control group received general occupational therapy.

Findings: Task-oriented approach is an efficient treatment method consisting of tasks to increase the participation of activities of daily living by effectively providing functional activities to the patient. Unlike the treatment that previously trained a single motion repeatedly, it consists of functional tasks. However, despite this importance, interventions for the recovery of upper extremity function in clinical practice are still focused on simple and repetitive joint motion, recovery of upper extremity function and enhancement of muscle strength on more affected side. Therefore, this study reports the importance of the meaningful task-oriented training in intervention to improve upper extremity function. The result is as follows. Firstly, there was a considerable significant difference between the upper extremity function in the meaningful task training group (p<.05), but not significant difference in the general therapy group (p>.05). Secondly, there was no significant difference between the two groups after intervention (p>.05). The results revealed that there was a significant difference the result in the meaningful task-oriented training group.

Improvements/Applications: It is thought that it can be applied as an effective treatment for recovery of upper extremity function recovery in hemiplegic patients after stroke through meaningful task-oriented training.