Disorders of hand movement are often complications in patients with hemiparesis. Therapeutical interventions in the rehabilitation of centrally paretic arms aim in improving of function, muscle power, coordination, sensibility and precision motor activity. In clinical routine, quantitative measurement of the motoric and coordinative deficites are important for therapy planning and efficiency control to achieve subtly differentiated information on individual malfunction profile. In this study, using of isometric muscle power training as a supplement to normal rehabilitation treatment of upper extremities for hand flexion and extension in early rehabilitation phase was checked in patients with hemiparesis after acquired brain damage, comparing to a control group without this special treatment. In contrast to the control group there were significant improvements of maximum power of hand flexion and extension in the therapy group. Results show that -- despite the in part very different training courses -- additional isometric muscle power training in patients with centrally caused arm paresis can be made efficiently, adding a useful part to therapeutical spectrum.

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