Symposium will review evidence

An upcoming Symposium at December's UK Stroke Forum Meeting, supported by Anatomical Concepts (UK), will review the state of the art in arm rehabilitation for severely affected stroke survivors.

Following a stroke,  being able to regain use of an affected arm and hand again is often a personal priority for individuals. Sadly, many stroke survivors feel they receive very little or no attention from their clinicians for this problem.  There are a number of reasons for this. One is a belief by some clinicians that very little can help.  Research however is much more favourable.

An ongoing challenge for physical therapists and other health care professionals is finding effective interventions to improve arm and hand function for patients with more severe paresis.  

Several studies to improve upper extremity function have limited the work to include higher functioning patients with some degree of preserved wrist or finger extension.   There is a need to identify new strategies to improve functional outcomes in those with the most severe arm and hand paresis. 

In a morning Symposium at the UK Stroke Forum meeting, Anatomical Concepts will host an educational session to present evidence related to two interventions that target the unique needs of patients with more severe deficits in motor performance and function of the upper extremity and hand. Associate Professor Sandy McCombe Waller from the University of Maryland will present the current evidence for effective strategies.

See the Synopsis for the Symposium here

The 5th UK Stroke Forum Conference takes place 30 November to 2 December 2010 at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow, UK