Cross Education for Upper Extremity Motor Function and Strength in Stroke

In the researchers' words

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide. The impact of stroke on the upper extremity functions is a common and important cause of long-term disability. Indeed, six months after the stroke, a considerable amount of patients are still unable to incorporate the affected upper limb into their daily activities. On the other hand, weaknesses are also observed in the "apparently normal" ipsilateral side of the lesion due to the presence of corticospinal fibers that do not cross to the contralateral side of the medulla. This study aims to investigate the effects of cross-education (CE) using robotic rehabilitation on upper extremity motor function and strength in patients with stroke. Secondary objectives include assessing quality of life and activities of daily living. Researchers will compare CE using robotic rehabilitation to the control group (CON) that received lower extremity-focused exercises to see if CE works to enhance rehabilitation outcomes. Participants will receive 20 min, twice weekly CE (to the less affected upper limb) or CON before the RR intervention included in the PT intervention administered 5 days in a week for 5 weeks. They will be evaluated using the relevant outcomes at the beginning and the end of the study (5th week).