Effects of Touch Massage in the Sub-acute Phase After Stroke

Touch Massage in the Sub-acute Phase After Stroke - Does it Have Impact on General Health and Independence?

The aim is to study effects of touch massage in the sub-acute phase after stroke in two main areas; general health and independence.The hypothesis are that; touch massage in the sub-acute phase after stroke decreases anxiety and pain, increases health related-quality of life, decrease physiological stress responses, increase sensorimotor function, decrease disability, and increase activity in sensorimotor areas and decrease redundant brain activity in motor-related areas.

Despite high quality stroke care in Sweden, decreased sensorimotor function, anxiety and pain remains one year after stroke and lead to impaired health and dependence as well as high health care costs. It is therefore urgent to find new rehabilitation strategies. There is some knowledge about effects of touch massage among healthy and patients with ill-health conditions but no study have evaluated touch massage in the sub-acute phase of stroke. Therefore the aim in this project is to study effects of t touch massage in the sub-acute phase after stroke in two main areas; general health and independence.

Inclusion Criteria:

• stroke defined according to Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) and The Oxford Community Stroke Project Classification (OSPC),
• impaired finger tapping on the affected side of the body,
• the ability to flex the wrist 20° from substrate on affected side of the body

Exclusion Criteria:individuals with

• cancerous tumors,
• infections with fever,
• neurologic or psychiatric disease,
• alcohol or drug addiction,
• conditions that impede communication.