Objective: To investigate the effects of an action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) training compared with the standard care pathway on motor and functional recovery in patients with surgical fixation after distal radial fractures (DRF).
Design: Two-armed single-blind randomized controlled trial.
Setting: Outpatient hand rehabilitation unit.
Participants: Forty right-handed participants (N=40) who underwent surgical fixation for right DRF.
Interventions: Participants allocated to AOMI group performed an AO and MI training during immobilization period, whereas participants allocated to control group followed a routinary care pathway. Both groups performed a 5-week rehabilitation program after immobilization end.
Main outcome and measures: Primary outcome was hand dexterity (Purdue Pegboard Test). Secondary outcomes were active range of motion, pinch and grip strength, and hand function (Patient-Rated Wrist/Hand Evaluation [PRWHE]). Outcomes were assessed at the end of immobilization, after a 5-week rehabilitation program, and at 6-month follow-up.
Results: AOMI group revealed better R-task score of the PPT (mean difference: 1.9; 95% CI, 0.8-3.0), PRWHE-pain (median difference: -6.0; 95% CI, -11.0 to -1.0), and PRWHE-specific-activity (median difference: -10.0; 95% CI, -18.0 to -2.0) subscores and total PRWHE score (median difference: -12.8; 95% CI, -23.8 to -4.0) compared with control group at physiotherapy program end. Moreover, AOMI group revealed higher pinch and grip strength than control group at immobilization end (median difference: grip 4.6, 95% CI, 2.0-7.7; pinch 1.9, 95% CI, 0.3-3.2).
Conclusions: AO and MI during the immobilization period accelerated the recovery of hand dexterity and function in patients with surgical fixation for DRF. These findings suggested the incorporation of AO and MI in the care pathway of patients undergoing immobilization after surgery for DRF.
Objective: To identify the effects of bilateral plantar kinesio taping (BP-KT) combined with conventional therapy (CT) on plantar tactile sensation (PTS) and gait ability in patients with subacute stroke by comparing BP-KT with tibialis anterior KT (TA-KT).
Design: A single-center, participant-blinded, randomized controlled trial.
Setting: Rehabilitation center.
Participants: Fifty-two subacute stroke survivors (N=52) were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups.
Interventions: All participants performed 30 minutes of CT, and each group additionally received either BP-KT or TA-KT. Both interventions were performed 5 times a week for a 4-week period.
Main outcome measures: The primary outcome was PTS. The secondary outcomes included spatiotemporal gait parameters (step length, stance phase, swing phase, step width, cadence, and velocity) and the variability of these parameters.
Results: The BP-KT group showed statistically significant improvements in PTS at the first metatarsal head (P=.003; η²=0.159), fifth metatarsal head (P=.025; η²=0.096), and lateral longitudinal area (P=.015; η²=0.114). Statistically significant improvements were observed in the BP-KT group compared with those in the TA-KT group in step length (P=.005; η²=0.679), single stance (P=.037; η²=0.084), and velocity (P=.018; η²=0.180). There was a statistically significant decrease in the coefficient of variation for step length (P=.042; η²=0.080) and step width (P=.018; η²=0.107).
Conclusions: BP-KT combined with CT effectively enhanced PTS and gait ability in patients with subacute stroke, and it proved to be more effective than TA-KT combined with CT. These findings suggest that BP-KT may be a useful adjunctive method for gait rehabilitation in patients with stroke.

