Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study

Stroke is a major health issue causing high mortality and disability rates. Around 80% of stroke survivors experience impaired upper limb function, which is typically evaluated clinically. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) may help in motor function recovery. This study aimed to create an obje...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dmitry Skvortsov, Danila Lobunko, Anna Lobunko, Nina Belonovskaya, Galina Ivanova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Diagnostics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/7/840
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849730773389672448
author Dmitry Skvortsov
Danila Lobunko
Anna Lobunko
Nina Belonovskaya
Galina Ivanova
author_facet Dmitry Skvortsov
Danila Lobunko
Anna Lobunko
Nina Belonovskaya
Galina Ivanova
author_sort Dmitry Skvortsov
collection DOAJ
description Stroke is a major health issue causing high mortality and disability rates. Around 80% of stroke survivors experience impaired upper limb function, which is typically evaluated clinically. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) may help in motor function recovery. This study aimed to create an objective test of wrist flexion and extension functions and to assess the use of such a test in evaluating the efficacy of conventional rehabilitation therapy, alone and in combination with FES, in patients with a paretic upper limb. <b>Background/Objectives:</b> A total of 55 subjects were involved: 15 healthy volunteers and 40 post-stroke patients. The patients were split into two groups: one receiving only conventional rehabilitation (control group) and another receiving both conventional and FES therapies (FES group). <b>Methods:</b> Inertial sensors measured wrist flexion and extension parameters before and after the study treatment. <b>Results:</b> Both groups showed improvement based on the ARAT and FMA-UE scales. Normative values were established in the healthy group, revealing interhemispheric asymmetry. The wrist motion amplitudes and phases in both patient groups differed significantly from the healthy group. Initially, the paretic side had a 40-degree reduction compared to healthy subjects, while the non-paretic side showed a 10–17-degree decrease. After treatment, the FES group demonstrated a 4–10-degree increase in the wrist motion amplitude on the paretic side. The phase parameters did not change significantly in either group. <b>Conclusions</b>: The developed wrist flexion–extension test was shown to be objective and sensitive. The FES treatment improved the movement amplitude, although it did not alter the temporal structure of motion in both patient groups.
format Article
id doaj-art-32c8158dbaab453c827bb17640fdbf51
institution DOAJ
issn 2075-4418
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Diagnostics
spelling doaj-art-32c8158dbaab453c827bb17640fdbf512025-08-20T03:08:46ZengMDPI AGDiagnostics2075-44182025-03-0115784010.3390/diagnostics15070840Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot StudyDmitry Skvortsov0Danila Lobunko1Anna Lobunko2Nina Belonovskaya3Galina Ivanova4Center for Brain and Neurotechnology, Moscow 117513, RussiaCenter for Brain and Neurotechnology, Moscow 117513, RussiaCenter for Brain and Neurotechnology, Moscow 117513, RussiaCenter for Brain and Neurotechnology, Moscow 117513, RussiaCenter for Brain and Neurotechnology, Moscow 117513, RussiaStroke is a major health issue causing high mortality and disability rates. Around 80% of stroke survivors experience impaired upper limb function, which is typically evaluated clinically. Functional electrical stimulation (FES) may help in motor function recovery. This study aimed to create an objective test of wrist flexion and extension functions and to assess the use of such a test in evaluating the efficacy of conventional rehabilitation therapy, alone and in combination with FES, in patients with a paretic upper limb. <b>Background/Objectives:</b> A total of 55 subjects were involved: 15 healthy volunteers and 40 post-stroke patients. The patients were split into two groups: one receiving only conventional rehabilitation (control group) and another receiving both conventional and FES therapies (FES group). <b>Methods:</b> Inertial sensors measured wrist flexion and extension parameters before and after the study treatment. <b>Results:</b> Both groups showed improvement based on the ARAT and FMA-UE scales. Normative values were established in the healthy group, revealing interhemispheric asymmetry. The wrist motion amplitudes and phases in both patient groups differed significantly from the healthy group. Initially, the paretic side had a 40-degree reduction compared to healthy subjects, while the non-paretic side showed a 10–17-degree decrease. After treatment, the FES group demonstrated a 4–10-degree increase in the wrist motion amplitude on the paretic side. The phase parameters did not change significantly in either group. <b>Conclusions</b>: The developed wrist flexion–extension test was shown to be objective and sensitive. The FES treatment improved the movement amplitude, although it did not alter the temporal structure of motion in both patient groups.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/7/840strokerehabilitationfunctional electrical stimulationupper extremitiesmotor functionswrist joint
spellingShingle Dmitry Skvortsov
Danila Lobunko
Anna Lobunko
Nina Belonovskaya
Galina Ivanova
Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study
Diagnostics
stroke
rehabilitation
functional electrical stimulation
upper extremities
motor functions
wrist joint
title Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study
title_full Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study
title_fullStr Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study
title_full_unstemmed Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study
title_short Wrist Function Test and Its Use to Assess Treatment Efficacy in Ischemic Stroke Survivors—A Pilot Study
title_sort wrist function test and its use to assess treatment efficacy in ischemic stroke survivors a pilot study
topic stroke
rehabilitation
functional electrical stimulation
upper extremities
motor functions
wrist joint
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/15/7/840
work_keys_str_mv AT dmitryskvortsov wristfunctiontestanditsusetoassesstreatmentefficacyinischemicstrokesurvivorsapilotstudy
AT danilalobunko wristfunctiontestanditsusetoassesstreatmentefficacyinischemicstrokesurvivorsapilotstudy
AT annalobunko wristfunctiontestanditsusetoassesstreatmentefficacyinischemicstrokesurvivorsapilotstudy
AT ninabelonovskaya wristfunctiontestanditsusetoassesstreatmentefficacyinischemicstrokesurvivorsapilotstudy
AT galinaivanova wristfunctiontestanditsusetoassesstreatmentefficacyinischemicstrokesurvivorsapilotstudy