The effects of hand size

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Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Canada. Each year it is estimated that 50,000 Canadians experience a stroke,5 and approximately 315,000 Canadians are living with the effects of stroke today.12 Up to 88% of stroke survivors experience upper-limb hemiparesis,3 which is particularly problematic given its impact on activities of daily living.1 Despite the billions of dollars being spent each year for stroke rehabilitation12 evidence that supports the efficacy of stroke motor rehabilitation is limited, making interventions that reduce the impact of hemiparesis a priority.4 One therapy that has recently gained popularity is known as constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). This rehabilitation tool is used to regain lost function in upper extremities following a stroke.7 CIMT involves a restraint of the less-impaired upper extremity to enhance the use of the affected limb in activities of daily living.7,10 The restraint is typically accomplished by placing the entire arm in a sling or placing the less-impaired hand in a mitt for the majority of waking hours during a 2 week period,10 essentially forcing the patient to use the arm that has the most severe impairments.6,7
Previous research investigated the efficacy of a modified constraint-induced movement therapy protocol for patients experiencing hemiparesis following stroke.4 The finding show that CIMT may be an effective method of improving motor function and use of the more affected arms of stroke patients.4 A recent study investigated whether constraint-induced movement therapy would enhance axonal remodeling and functional recovery, and furthermore improve behavioural and motor performance following stroke in rats.12 Consistent with previous studies,9,10 the rats t...

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...emity function among adults recovering from a cerebrovascular stroke. Neurorehabil and Neural Repair. (2003) 17: 137-152.

10. Wolf, S. L., Winstein, C. J., Miller, J. P., Taud, E., Uswatte, G., Morris, D., Giuliani, C., Light, K. E., & Nichols-Larrsen, D. Effect of constraint-induced movement therapy on upper extremity function 3 to 9 months after stroke: the EXCITE randomized clinical trail. American Medical Association. (2006) 296: 2095-2104.

11. Wurm, F., Keiner, S., Kunze, A., Witte, O. W., & Redecker, C. Effects of skiller forelimb training on hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial learning after focal cortical infarcts in the adult rat brain. Stroke. (2007) 38: 2833-2840.

12. Zhao, S., Zhao, M, Xiao, T., Jolkkonen, J., & Zhao, C. Constraint-induced movement therapy overcomes the intrinsic growth-inhibitory signals in stroke rats. Stroke. (2013) 44: 1698-1705.

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