Poststroke/CVA HemiparesisNCT07764939
Comparative Effects of CIMT and TOT on Hand Function Recovery in Post Stroke Patients
A study testing Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and Task-Oriented Training in people with Poststroke/CVA Hemiparesis, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
This controlled clinical study investigates and compares the effectiveness of CIMT and TOT in improving hand function among post-stroke patients. A total of 48 participants from hospitals in Sialkot will be randomly divided into two groups and receive a 3-week intervention consisting of 15 sessions. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 45 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Poststroke/CVA Hemiparesis
- What is being tested?
- Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy and Task-Oriented Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 48 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 12 Jul 2025to Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 45 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Inclusion Criteria: Participants will be included if they meet the following criteria:
- Age between 45 and 65 years
- Both male and female participants
- First-ever unilateral ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke confirmed by imaging
- Stroke onset in subacute to chronic phase (>3 months post-stroke)
- Medically stable and able to sit independently
- Voluntary wrist extension of at least 10 degrees and finger extension of at least 10 degrees in the affected hand
- Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score > 26
- No significant pain or spasticity in affected upper limb (Modified Ashworth Scale < 2)
- Adequate sitting balance and trunk control for upper limb activities
- Willingness and availability to complete the full intervention (3 weeks)
- No significant musculoskeletal impairments (e.g., fractures or arthritis) affecting the upper limb
Exclusion Criteria: Participants will be excluded if they have:
- Severe spasticity (Modified Ashworth Scale > 3) or joint contractures
- Severe aphasia, neglect, or cognitive impairments affecting task performance
- Recurrent or bilateral stroke
- Severe upper limb impairment
- Joint contractures or orthopedic limitations in the upper limb
- Active infections, skin lesions, or wounds on the upper limb
- Severe pain during limb movement
- Participation in other upper limb rehabilitation programs concurrently
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Pakistan1 site
department of physiotherapy, Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital
Sialkot, Punjab Province, 51310
About this study
Official title: Comparative Effects of Constraint Induced Movement Therapy and Task-oriented Training on Hand Function Recovery in Post Stroke Patients
This controlled clinical study investigates and compares the effectiveness of CIMT and TOT in improving hand function among post-stroke patients. A total of 48 participants from hospitals in Sialkot will be randomly divided into two groups and receive a 3-week intervention consisting of 15 sessions. Outcomes will be assessed using the 9-Hole Peg Test, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, and grip strength, and the data will be analyzed using SPSS-21 under a single-blinded design.
Read the detailed description
This randomized clinical trial will compare the effects of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) and Task-Oriented Training (TOT) on hand function in post-stroke patients. The study will be conducted over 11 months at Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital and Life Care Hospital, Sialkot, with 48 participants (24 per group) recruited through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to either intervention.
Eligible participants will be stroke patients aged 45-65 years in the subacute to chronic phase (>3 months), medically stable, cognitively intact, and with minimal voluntary hand movement, while those with severe neurological, cognitive, or musculoskeletal impairments will be excluded.
Group A will receive CIMT involving restriction of the unaffected limb and intensive task-specific training, while Group B will receive TOT based on functional, task-oriented activities with progressive difficulty. Both interventions will be delivered over 3 weeks (15 sessions).
Outcomes will be measured using the 9-Hole Peg Test, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, and grip strength assessment. A single-blinded design will be used with blinded outcome assessors, and data will be analyzed using SPSS-21 to compare the effectiveness of both interventions.
- Conditions
- Poststroke/CVA Hemiparesis
- Being tested
- Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy, Task-Oriented Training
- Keywords
- Stroke rehabilitation, Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy, Task-Oriented Training, grip strength
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Constraint-Induced Movement TherapyBehavioural
Also called CIMT
Participants will undergo intensive upper limb rehabilitation involving shaping techniques, repetitive task practice, and restraint of the unaffected upper limb for 90% of waking hours, 5 days per week for 3 weeks. The therapy is delivered for 3 weeks (15 sessions; 5 sessions per week), with each session lasting approximately 60 minutes of structured rehabilitation training plus additional functional practice as prescribed. Activities are progressively graded and include fine motor tasks, object manipulation, and functional reaching and grasping exercises designed to promote neuroplasticity and motor recovery
Task-Oriented TrainingBehavioural
Also called TOT
Participants will receive task-specific upper limb rehabilitation involving functional activities, bilateral tasks, object manipulation, and daily living task practice for 45-60 minutes per session, 5 days per week for 3 weeks. Each session consists of a 45-60 minute structured rehabilitation program including warm-up (ROM and stretching), task-specific training (reaching, grasping, pegboard, coin and card tasks), and bilateral functional activities with progressive difficulty and a cool-down phase. The intervention is delivered at an intensity of 5 sessions per week for 3 weeks, totaling 15 sessions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Group | Experimental | Participants in this group will receive Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) consisting of restraint of the unaffected upper limb combined with intensive task-specific training and repetitive functional exercises of the affected upper extremity for 3 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy |
| Task-Oriented Training Group | Experimental | Participants will receive task-specific upper limb rehabilitation involving functional activities, bilateral tasks, object manipulation, and daily living task practice for 45-60 minutes per session, 5 days per week for 3 weeks. Receives: Behavioral: Task-Oriented Training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)
The Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT) is a standardized and reliable assessment used to evaluate fine motor dexterity and hand function in individuals with post-stroke impairments. The test requires the participant to place nine pegs into nine holes and then remove them as quickly as possible, with each hand assessed separately. Performance is measured by the time (in seconds) required to complete the task, with shorter completion times indicating better manual dexterity and hand function, while longer times reflect greater impairment.
Measured: Baseline to 3 weeks
Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT)
The Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT) is a standardized assessment that takes approximately 15 to 45 minutes to administer and measures everyday fine and gross motor dexterity through seven timed tasks, such as writing, card turning, and object manipulation. Patients complete each task as quickly as possible with one hand at a time while the clinician records the completion time in seconds. Lower execution times indicate superior hand function, providing an efficient way to track pre- and post-treatment recovery or compare performance between limbs
Measured: baseline to 3 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Aug 2026
- Study start12 Jul 2025
- Primary completionOct 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionOct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Poststroke/CVA HemiparesisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Item Description Study Type Interventional Study Design Randomized Controlled Trial Intervention Model Parallel Assignment Primary Purpose Treatment/Rehabilitation Phase N/A (Behavioral/Physiotherapy Intervention)
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 48 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Riphah International University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Dr Shumaila Physio, MSNMPT, Principal investigator, Riphah International University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07764939
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- REC/RCR & AHS/25/0213
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 1 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 30 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: nill