Upper limb paresis is the most common type of post-stroke neurological impairment and a major cause of functional disability. Repetitive peripheral sensory stimulation (RPSS) is a novel strategy to improve upper limb motor performance in the post-stroke chronic phase but its effects in the subacute phase are still poorly understood. The objectives of this study are to compare the effects of RPSS on motor performance of the upper limb in the subacute and chronic phases of stroke, and to identify the mechanisms underlying this intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke confirmed by computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, between 7 days - 3 months before enrollment (subacute phase), and at least 6 months (chronic phase).
• Ability to perform at least 4 of 7 tasks performed in daily life that is part of the Jebsen-Taylor Test

Exclusion Criteria:

• Anesthesia of the paretic hand.
• Lesions affecting the motor cortex (hand area).
• Lesions affecting cerebellum, or cerebellar pathways in the brainstem.
• Severe spasticity at the paretic elbow, fist or fingers, defined with a score larger than 3 on the Modified Ashworth Scale.
• Neurological diseases such as Parkinson disease or chronic uncontrolled chronic disease such as cancer or cardiac insufficiency.
• Elbow pain or join deformity in the paretic limb.
• Pregnancy.
• Uncontrolled psychiatric disease.
• Aphasia or severe cognitive deficit.
• Inability to provide consent.
• Inability to attend the experimental sessions.

An amendment for performance of a minimization procedure in order to enhance the probability of comparable characteristics between the groups was approved. The researcher responsible for minimization is not involved in data collection or analysis.