Background: Light touch, one of the primary and basic sensations, is often neglected in sensory retraining programmes for stroke survivors.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of sensory retraining on the light touch threshold of the hand, dexterity and upper limb motor function of chronic stroke survivors.Methods: Five chronic stroke survivors with sensory impairment participated in this single-subject A-B design study. In baseline (A) phase, they only received standard rehabilitation. In the treatment (B) phase, they received a 6-week sensory retraining intervention in addition to standard rehabilitation. In both phases, they were evaluated every 3 days. Light touch threshold, manual dexterity and upper limb motor function were assessed using Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments, Box-Block Test and Fugl-Meyer Assessment, respectively. Visual analysis, nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test and, c-statistic were used for assessing the changes between phases.Results: All participants indicated changes in trend or slope of the total score of light touch or both between the two phases. The results of the c-statistic also showed the statistical difference in the total score of light touch between baseline and treatment in all participants (p < 0.001). Also, the results of the c-statistic and Mann-Whitney U test supported the difference of manual dexterity and motor function of the upper limb between baseline and treatment in all participants (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Current findings showed that sensory retraining may be an effective adjunctive intervention for improving the light touch threshold of the hand, dexterity and upper limb motor function in chronic stroke survivors.

中文翻译：

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感觉再训练可改善慢性中风幸存者麻痹手的轻触阈值：单受试者 AB 设计。

背景：轻触是中风幸存者的感觉再训练计划中的主要和基本感觉之一，经常被忽视。 目的：本研究旨在调查感觉再训练对手轻触阈值、灵活性和上肢运动的影响。慢性中风幸存者的功能。方法：五名患有感觉障碍的慢性中风幸存者参加了这项单受试者 AB 设计研究。在基线 (A) 阶段，他们仅接受标准康复治疗。在治疗 (B) 阶段，除了标准康复外，他们还接受了为期 6 周的感官再训练干预。在这两个阶段，每 3 天对它们进行一次评估。分别使用 Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments、Box-Block Test 和 Fugl-Meyer 评估来评估轻触阈值、手灵巧度和上肢运动功能。视觉分析、非参数 Mann-Whitney U 检验和 c 统计量用于评估阶段之间的变化。结果：所有参与者都表明轻触总分的趋势或斜率或两个阶段之间的变化。c 统计的结果还显示了所有参与者在基线和治疗之间的轻触总分的统计差异（p < 0.001）。此外，c 统计量和 Mann-Whitney U 检验的结果支持所有参与者在基线和治疗之间的手灵活性和上肢运动功能的差异（p < 0.001）。结论：目前的研究结果表明，感觉再训练可能是改善慢性卒中幸存者手轻触阈值、灵巧性和上肢运动功能的有效辅助干预措施。