The Medical Freedom Channel

“Stroke victims forced to use a weakened or partially paralyzed arm by having their working arm or hand restrained in a sling or mitt recover more quickly, researchers said on Tuesday. In a study of 222 patients, those who underwent “constraint-induced” therapy within three to nine months of their strokes were more capable of performing an array of tasks in follow-up tests than those who were not forced to use their affected arm. Participants in the study were instructed to wear the restraint — either a sling or a cumbersome mitt — during waking hours for two weeks. They also underwent physical therapy for several hours on weekdays, during which they wore the restraint. Most had suffered an ischemic stroke, the most common type where blood flow is temporarily blocked to part of the brain.” (10/31/06)