Question

Levi is an OT working with Sam who had a stroke about 1 month ago. Levi implements a constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) routine for Sam. Sam wears an immobilizer on his unaffected arm/hand while he practices everyday tasks with his affected arm for several hours each day. CIMT is based upon which of the following neuroplasticity principles?

1) Intensity matters
2) Repetition matters
3) Feedback matters
4) A and B
5) None of the above

Answer 1

Constraint-induced movement therapy is based on neuroplasticity principles that both intensity and repetition matter, which are critical for inducing brain reorganization and functional improvement in the affected limb after a stroke.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has asked which principle of neuroplasticity is the basis for constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) implemented by an occupational therapist (OT) to assist a patient named Sam, who had a stroke. CIMT involves immobilizing the unaffected arm/hand and encouraging the patient to use the affected arm to perform everyday tasks. This treatment relies on two key neuroplasticity principles: (1) Intensity matters, and (2) Repetition matters. By performing tasks intensively and repetitively with the affected arm, it encourages the brain to reorganize and improve the function of that arm through neuroplastic changes.