Chronic StrokeNCT06945185
Motor Imagery Training for Upper Limb Functional Strength in Chronic Stroke Patients
A study testing Intervention Group A Conventional Physical Therapy and Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical Therapy in people with Chronic Stroke, run by Foundation University Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Stroke is a leading cause of upper extremity deficits worldwide. Persistent upper extremity dysfunction affects many post stroke patients and is strongly associated with decreased activities of daily living and poor quality of life. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 45 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Stroke
- What is being tested?
- Intervention Group A Conventional Physical Therapy and Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 26 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 10 Sep 2024to 30 May 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Stroke duration 6 months onwards (chronic stroke).
- age 45 years and above.
- Both genders.
- Access cognitive function score > 24 on MoCA.
Who cannot join
- Patients with any comorbidity, previous surgery and congenital anomly.
- Patient with any fracture/ MSK disorders.
- Score 3 or more on Modified Ashworth scale.
- Patients with hearing impairments
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Pakistan1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Foundation University College of Physical Thrapy
Islamabad, 44000
Sana Khalid, MS-NMPT, +92 344-4218174, sana.khalid@fui.edu.pk
About this study
Stroke is a leading cause of upper extremity deficits worldwide. Persistent upper extremity dysfunction affects many post stroke patients and is strongly associated with decreased activities of daily living and poor quality of life.
There is accumulating evidence of a cross-over effect with training of one limb that slightly increase strength and coordination in contralateral untrained limb through neurological adaptations.
Read more
One of rehabilitation that is beneficial for stroke patient is motor imagery, a mental rehearsal of a movement that does not include physical movement has been shown to enhance upper limb function.
Evidence demonstrate that MI not only activates motor cortical and subcortical regions but also induces plastic change in motor networks and modulates synaptic activity at spinal level.
Read the detailed description
OBJECTIVE:
The objectives of this study are:
- To improve upper limb functional strength.
- To improve the upper limb coordination.
- To improve upper limb functional improvement.
HYPOTHESIS
Alternate Hypothesis:
There will be statistically significant difference in effects of motor imagery technique combined with conventional physical therapy and in comparison to conventional physical therapy alone on upper limb functional strength, coordination and functional improvement in chronic stroke. (p<0.05).
Null Hypothesis:
There will be no statistically significant difference in effects of motor imagery technique combined with conventional physical therapy and in comparison to conventional physical therapy alone on upper limb functional strength, coordination and functional improvement in chronic stroke. (p>0.05).
Research Design: Experimental study. Randomized Control Trial
- Conditions
- Chronic Stroke
- Being tested
- Intervention Group A Conventional Physical Therapy, Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical Therapy
- Keywords
- Motor Imagery, Stroke, Neurorehabilitation, Functional strength
- Medical subject headings
- Stroke
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Intervention Group A Conventional Physical TherapyProcedure or surgery
Active Range of Motion Exercises: (5-10 reps with 2 sets) Finger bends, finger spreads, finger to thumb opposition, thumb to palm stretches, palm up and down, wrist rotation, wrist bends, elbow bends, shoulder shrugging and shoulder rotation.
Strengthening Exercises: (10-15 reps 2 sets weight 500 ml to 1L water bottle). Finger pinch, power grip, finger spread, pushing movement, wrist curls, roll and squeeze, bicep curls, side arm raise, lifting objects to a height, pulling resistance band.
Coordination Exercises: (10-15 reps 2 sets) finger to finger, finger to doctor's finger, finger to nose, holding and lifting coins, buttoning, holding and lifting coins, alternate hand movement, closing and opening hand.
Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical TherapyProcedure or surgery
- Subjects will be asked to sit comfortably on a chair with a backrest. A Quiet environment is ensured for proper concentration of subject .Take deep breaths for 2-3 min to relax.
- Subjects will be asked to close their eyes and imagine the training scene for each task for 5 min while listening to the therapist 's voice describing the motion.
- The non-paralysis part of the body's movement was imagined first and then the movement of the paralysis part was imagined.
- Upon completion of the mental practice for the first activity, the subject will be given a comfortable break.
Motor Imagery Training:
Week 1-2: Approaching and holding a cup, turning book pages and grasping pencil to write.
Week 3-4: wiping desk, turning door handle and drinking water from cup. Week 5-6: pressing light switch on and off, turning faucet and putting card in wallet.
Week 7-8: folding towel, brushing teeth and brushing hair. Imagine for 30 sec 2-3 repetitions.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| CONTROL GROUP A- CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY | Active comparator | The participants will receive conventional physical therapy focusing on active range of motion, strengthing and coordination exercises.
Subjects will receive protocol of 45 min thrice a week for 8 weeks with 2 min rest in between.
The exercises will focus on active range of motion, weight exercises to increase strength and coordination exercises to improve movement coordination. Receives: Procedure: Intervention Group A Conventional Physical Therapy |
| INTERVENTION GROUP B- MOTOR IMAGERY WITH CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL | Experimental | The participants will recieve conventional physical therapy focusing on active range of motion, strengthing and coordination exercises.
Subjects will recieve protocal of 45 min thrice a week for 8 weeks with 2 min rest in between.
The exercises will focus on active range of motion, weight exercises to increase strength and coordination exercises to improve movement coordination. Receives: Procedure: Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical Therapy |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH
FUNCTONAL STRENGTH WILL BE ASSESSED USING WOLF MOTOR FUNCTION TEST
Measured: 8 weeks
Coordination
The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) will be used to assess upper extremity performance
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted25 Apr 2025
- Study start10 Sep 2024
- Primary completion15 May 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion30 May 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic StrokeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Foundation University IslamabadThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 26 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Foundation University Islamabad
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06945185
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- FUI/CTR/2024/64
- Status last verified
- Apr 2025
- First submitted
- 18 Apr 2025
- Last updated
- 25 Apr 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Apr 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Motor Imagery Training for Upper Limb Functional Strength in Chronic Stroke Patients
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06945185
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- FUI/CTR/2024/64
- Conditions
- Chronic Stroke
- Keywords
- Motor Imagery, Stroke, Neurorehabilitation, Functional strength
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 26 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Foundation University IslamabadUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Sep 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 May 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 May 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 25 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Stroke is a leading cause of upper extremity deficits worldwide. Persistent upper extremity dysfunction affects many post stroke patients and is strongly associated with decreased activities of daily living and poor quality of life.
There is accumulating evidence of a cross-over effect with training of one limb that slightly increase strength and coordination in contralateral untrained limb through neurological adaptations.
One of rehabilitation that is beneficial for stroke patient is motor imagery, a mental rehearsal of a movement that does not include physical movement has been shown to enhance upper limb function.
Evidence demonstrate that MI not only activates motor cortical and subcortical regions but also induces plastic change in motor networks and modulates synaptic activity at spinal level.
Detailed description
OBJECTIVE:
The objectives of this study are:
- To improve upper limb functional strength.
- To improve the upper limb coordination.
- To improve upper limb functional improvement.
HYPOTHESIS
Alternate Hypothesis:
There will be statistically significant difference in effects of motor imagery technique combined with conventional physical therapy and in comparison to conventional physical therapy alone on upper limb functional strength, coordination and functional improvement in chronic stroke. (p<0.05).
Null Hypothesis:
There will be no statistically significant difference in effects of motor imagery technique combined with conventional physical therapy and in comparison to conventional physical therapy alone on upper limb functional strength, coordination and functional improvement in chronic stroke. (p>0.05).
Research Design: Experimental study. Randomized Control Trial
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| CONTROL GROUP A- CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY | Active comparator | Procedure: Intervention Group A Conventional Physical TherapyThe participants will receive conventional physical therapy focusing on active range of motion, strengthing and coordination exercises. Subjects will receive protocol of 45 min thrice a week for 8 weeks with 2 min rest in between. The exercises will focus on active range of motion, weight exercises to increase strength and coordination exercises to improve movement coordination. |
| INTERVENTION GROUP B- MOTOR IMAGERY WITH CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL | Experimental | Procedure: Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical TherapyThe participants will recieve conventional physical therapy focusing on active range of motion, strengthing and coordination exercises. Subjects will recieve protocal of 45 min thrice a week for 8 weeks with 2 min rest in between. The exercises will focus on active range of motion, weight exercises to increase strength and coordination exercises to improve movement coordination. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 45 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Stroke duration 6 months onwards (chronic stroke).
- age 45 years and above.
- Both genders.
- Access cognitive function score > 24 on MoCA.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Patients with any comorbidity, previous surgery and congenital anomly.
- Patient with any fracture/ MSK disorders.
- Score 3 or more on Modified Ashworth scale.
- Patients with hearing impairments
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention Group A Conventional Physical TherapyActive Range of Motion Exercises: (5-10 reps with 2 sets) Finger bends, finger spreads, finger to thumb opposition, thumb to palm stretches, palm up and down, wrist rotation, wrist bends, elbow bends, shoulder shrugging and shoulder rotation. Strengthening Exercises: (10-15 reps 2 sets weight 500 ml to 1L water bottle). Finger pinch, power grip, finger spread, pushing movement, wrist curls, roll and squeeze, bicep curls, side arm raise, lifting objects to a height, pulling resistance band. Coordination Exercises: (10-15 reps 2 sets) finger to finger, finger to doctor's finger, finger to nose, holding and lifting coins, buttoning, holding and lifting coins, alternate hand movement, closing and opening hand. | Procedure or surgery | CONTROL GROUP A- CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY |
| Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical Therapy1. Subjects will be asked to sit comfortably on a chair with a backrest. A Quiet environment is ensured for proper concentration of subject .Take deep breaths for 2-3 min to relax. 2. Subjects will be asked to close their eyes and imagine the training scene for each task for 5 min while listening to the therapist 's voice describing the motion. 3. The non-paralysis part of the body's movement was imagined first and then the movement of the paralysis part was imagined. 4. Upon completion of the mental practice for the first activity, the subject will be given a comfortable break. Motor Imagery Training: Week 1-2: Approaching and holding a cup, turning book pages and grasping pencil to write. Week 3-4: wiping desk, turning door handle and drinking water from cup. Week 5-6: pressing light switch on and off, turning faucet and putting card in wallet. Week 7-8: folding towel, brushing teeth and brushing hair. Imagine for 30 sec 2-3 repetitions. | Procedure or surgery | INTERVENTION GROUP B- MOTOR IMAGERY WITH CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL |
Primary outcome
FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH
Time frame: 8 weeks
FUNCTONAL STRENGTH WILL BE ASSESSED USING WOLF MOTOR FUNCTION TEST
Coordination
Time frame: 8 weeks
The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) will be used to assess upper extremity performance
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Apr 2025.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Intervention Group A Conventional Physical Therapy and Intervention Group B Motor Imagery with Conventional Physical Therapy in people with Chronic Stroke, run by Foundation University Islamabad at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Apr 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact AYESHA ASIF, DPT (+92 316-5314207, ayesha97asif@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH (time frame: 8 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Apr 2025.