The Arm Ability Training has been developed for stroke and traumatic brain injury patients with mild to moderately severe arm paresis. The term abilities usually refers to independent sensorimotor capabilities such as dexterity, steadiness, precision, goal orientation, and speed of finger/hand movements that support a wide range of activities. With the Arm Ability Training patients receive a set of training tasks thought to address a number of different motor abilities. Structuring training in such a way that different abilities are addressed has the advantage that improved abilities would translate to improved motor performance in many different circumstances. Emphasis within the structured repetitive training is put on both speed and accuracy of execution, and continuously on improvement. The effects of training over a three week period and at follow-up one year later were measured at the disability level with a test measuring arm motor behaviour with ADL-like activities (TEMPA) and at the level of motor performance with a kinematic analysis of aimed movements. This randomised, controlled trial (RCT) investigated (1) the efficacy of the Ability Training (AT) on arm motor function, and (2) the effect of additional augmented feedback (average knowledge of result intermittently provided during training sessions). The primary outcome variable (summary time score of the TEMPA) indicated a superior improvement for those subjects receiving the Ability Training (41.4 sec versus 12.8 sec improvement, p = 0.0012). The kinematic analysis revealed a specific effect of the Arm Ability Training on the first, more ballistic component of aiming movements. Intermittant knowledge of result did not further enhance training effects. In conclusion, the Arm Ability Training's efficacy could be demonstrated; it improves arm function among mildly affected hemiparetic TBI and stroke patients.

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