AU - Sethy, Damayanti AU - Sahoo, Surjeet AU - Kujur, Eva AU - Bajpai, Pankaj TI - Stroke upper extremity rehabilitation: Effect of bilateral arm training PT - ORIG DP - 2018 Oct 1 TA - International Journal of Health & Allied Sciences PG - 217-221 VI - 7 IP - 4 4099- https://www.ijhas.in/article.asp?issn=2278-344X;year=2018;volume=7;issue=4;spage=217;epage=221;aulast=Sethy;type=0 4100- https://www.ijhas.in/article.asp?issn=2278-344X;year=2018;volume=7;issue=4;spage=217;epage=221;aulast=Sethy AB - OBJECTIVES: The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of bilateral arm training on upper extremity motor and functional recovery in stroke hemiparesis. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-eight patients with chronic stroke, attending the Department of Occupational Therapy, National Institute for the locomotor disabilities, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, participated in a single-blinded randomized pretest and posttest control group experimental study. Patients were randomized over two intervention groups; experimental group received bilateral arm training (n = 14) and the control group received an equally intensive conventional treatment program (n = 14). Each group received intensive training for 1 h/day, 5 days/week, and for 6 weeks. Pretreatment and posttreatment measurements were taken for upper extremity motor ability, functional ability, and functional use of the upper extremity using Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Physical performance (FMA-upper extremity section), Action Research Arm Test, and Motor Activity Log, respectively. RESULTS: Bilateral arm training (P = 0.01) group showed statistically significant improvement in upper extremity functioning on Action Research Arm Test score in comparison to the conventional therapy group (P = 0.33). The bilateral arm training group also had greater improvements in FMA and Motor Activity Log score compared to conventional therapy group. CONCLUSION: Bilateral arm training can be used as a better treatment choice for improving upper extremity function in comparison to conventional therapy.