Improvements After CIMT is Independent of Infarct Location in Chronic Stroke Patients. (Link to article)

Structural Brain Changes parallel changes in real-world arm use.

WHO IS A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR CIMT?

Good candidates are survivors of stroke, brain injury, multiple

sclerosis, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, or brain cancer

where the patient presents with one side of their body more

affected than the other side. The candidate needs to have at least

45 degrees of active shoulder flexion/abduction, 20 degrees of

elbow extension from a 90 degree flexed elbow starting position,

20 degrees of wrist extension from a fully flexed position and 10

degrees of finger extension. In addition, the patient must have

the cognition to be able to follow commands. The patient must

also be medically stable and have the endurance to endure this

2-3 week clinic, 3 hours/day with the therapist. ​

WHAT IS CMIT AND HOW CAN IT HELP MY PATIENTS?

CIMT is based on the 40 years of extensive research that Dr Edward Taub, a neuro-behaviorist, has performed from the University of Alabama. Dr Taub has proven that by restraining the less affected extremity with a mitt and intensely training the more affected arm over a 2-3 week clinic for 3 hours/day that he has shown neuroplastic changes in the brain resulting

in greater functional return in the arm compared to

traditional therapy rehabilitation. ​