Chronic Poststroke Deficits in Gross and Fine Motor Control of the Ipsilesional Upper Limb.
Brian P Johnson, Kelly P Westlake
PMID 32804714WHAT IT FOUND
People with chronic stroke showed reduced fine and gross motor dexterity in their ipsilesional (same-side) arm.
Standard clinical tests like the Nine-Hole Peg Test and Box and Blocks Test can detect these deficits, which often go unnoticed when therapy focuses solely on the contralesional arm.
Key findings
01Individuals with chronic stroke completed the Nine-Hole Peg Test significantly slower with their ipsilesional upper limb compared to healthy controls and normative values.
02Individuals with chronic stroke transferred significantly fewer blocks on the Box and Blocks Test using their ipsilesional upper limb compared to healthy controls and normative values.
03Deficits in ipsilesional fine and gross motor dexterity persisted in the chronic stage after formal rehabilitation was completed.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (15 per group), limiting the ability to detect subtle differences or examine the impact of lesion laterality. The study did not screen for perceptual dysfunction beyond basic cognitive checks, so visual-spatial deficits could have influenced test performance. Participants had mild to moderate contralesional impairment, so results may not apply to those with severe motor deficits.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest were reported by the authors or any individuals in control of the content.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the ipsilesional limb is fully recovered. While it performs better than the contralesional limb, this study shows it still has measurable deficits in fine and gross dexterity compared to healthy norms, which can limit functional independence.