A Prospective Randomized Control Trial on the Effectiveness of Hand-Arm Bimanual Intensive Training (Habit) on Hand Dexterity and Arm Motor Function in Acute Stroke Subjects

Background: Hand Arm Bimanual Training therapy (HABIT) therapy is one of the new interventions in hand rehabilitation following stroke based on the principle of Neuroplasticity. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of hand-arm bimanual intensive training on hand dexterity using a nine-hole peg test and motor function using the Fugal Meyer upper extremity scale. A single-blinded Materials And Methods: simple randomized controlled trial was performed allocating 30 subjects to a experimental group and control group by simple random sampling. The experimental group received Habit therapy protocol daily for 1 hour, 5session with follow-up to 3 weeks and the control group received conventional physiotherapy exercise patients for 1 hour. Pre and post-test evaluation of hand function were done by using the nine-hole peg test for hand dexterity; and the Fugel Meyer upper extremity scale for arm motor function. The group was found to Results: be moderately effective in the performance of NHPT with a t-value of 4.10with a signicance of p<0.006 and highly effective in the performance of FMUE with a tvalue3.96 and presented high signicance with a P value< 0.011compared to the conventional group. HABIT therapy w Conclusion: as found as an effective intervention method to improve hand dexterity and arm motor function in acute stroke patients with the results showing improvement in hand dexterity and arm motor function when compared to conventional physiotherapy exercises alone.