Effects of Arm Weight Support Training to Promote Recovery of Upper Limb Function for Subacute Patients after Stroke with Different Levels of Arm Impairments

Table 2

Results of outcome measures across 3 time periods and between-groups comparison of gain scores.

Variables	Group	T1 (M ± SD)	T2 (M ± SD)	T3 (M ± SD)	p^†	Gain 1; ()	p^‡	Post hoc	Gain 2; ()	p^‡	Post hoc
FMA-UL	1						0.017	1, 3		0.000	1, 2; 1, 3
	2
	3
FMA-hand	1						0.006	2, 3		0.006	1, 3; 2, 3
	2
	3
AROM (shoulder flex.)	1						0.000	1, 2; 1, 3		0.000	1, 2; 1, 3
	2
	3
AROM (shoulder abd.)	1						0.017			0.019
	2
	3
AROM (elbow flexion)	1						0.023			0.020
	2
	3
AROM (forearm sup.)	1						0.354			0.072
	2
	3
AROM (forearm pron.)	1						0.276			0.124
	2
	3
Power grip (kg)	1						0.008			0.038
	2
	3
Vertical Catch (level 1) (%, score)	1						0.000	1, 2; 1, 3		0.000	1, 2; 1, 3
	2
	3
Vertical Catch (level 1) (s, time)	1						0.001	1, 2; 1, 3		0.000	1, 2; 1, 3
	2
	3
Horizontal Catch (level 1) (%, score)	1						0.079			0.002	1, 2
	2
	3
Horizontal Catch (level 1) (s, time)	1						0.530			0.049
	2
	3
Hand-path ratio (Vertical Catch-level 1)	1						0.000	1, 2; 1, 3		0.019
	2
	3
Hand-path ratio (Horizontal Catch-level 1)	1						0.029			0.231
	2
	3
Tone (MAS)	1						0.999			0.766
	2
	3
FIM	1						0.522		NA	NA
	2								NA
	3								NA

Note: T1: outcome measures immediately before training; T2: outcome measures immediately after training; T3: outcome measures at a three-week follow-up after training; : minus T1; : minus T1; Group 1: severe arm impairment; Group 2: moderate arm impairment; Group 3: mild arm impairment; FMA-UL Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) Upper Extremity Score; FMA-hand = Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) Hand Score; AROM active range of motion; flex. flexion; abd. = abduction; sup. = supination; pron. pronation; MAS = Modified Ashworth Scale; FIM = Functional Independence Measure; Post hoc: Tukey HSD; the optimal value of hand-path ratio is 1; ^†within-group comparison ; ^‡between-groups comparison .