Trial results for a study investigating hand functional recovery post-stroke were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-02-09, involving 61 participants.
Background
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term physical disability, often resulting in impaired hand function. Restoring hand motor control is a critical goal in rehabilitation, significantly impacting a patient's independence and quality of life. Current rehabilitation strategies often involve repetitive hand task practice. This study aimed to explore whether adding concomitant sensory stimulation, specifically vibration, during therapy could enhance the effectiveness of these practices for improving hand functional recovery.
Trial design
This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 61 participants diagnosed with Stroke and Physical Disability. The trial's objective was to determine if combining vibration with hand task practice is superior to hand task practice alone for enhancing hand functional recovery. Participants were assigned to either a "Vibration" group, receiving vibration during hand task practice, or a "No Vibration" group, receiving hand task practice alone.
Key results
The trial reported key measurements for changes in hand motor function:
- Change in Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) Movement Time (Seconds (sec)):
- For the "Vibration" group, the mean change was -4 (Standard Deviation 6).
- For the "No Vibration" group, the mean change was -9 (Standard Deviation 10).
- Change in Box and Blocks Test (BBT) Score (Number of blocks moved):
- For the "Vibration" group, the mean change was 2 (Standard Deviation 4).
- For the "No Vibration" group, the mean change was 4 (Standard Deviation 6).
- Change in Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) Score (Score on a scale):
- For the "Vibration" group, the mean change was 3 (Standard Deviation 3).
- For the "No Vibration" group, the mean change was 4 (Standard Deviation 5).
What this means
The results indicate that for participants in this study, combining vibration with hand task practice did not demonstrate superiority over hand task practice alone for improving hand functional recovery post-stroke. Across all three measured outcomes—Wolf Motor Function Test Movement Time, Box and Blocks Test Score, and Action Research Arm Test Score—the group receiving hand task practice without vibration showed greater mean improvements. This suggests that, based on these findings, the addition of concomitant sensory stimulation via vibration, as applied in this trial, may not provide an additional benefit and could potentially be less effective than standard hand task practice for this patient population.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT04569123, titled "Concomitant Sensory Stimulation During Therapy to Enhance Hand Functional Recovery Post Stroke", were posted on 2026-02-09 on clinicaltrials.gov.