Effect of Early Tendon Vibrations on Upper Limb Motor Recovery After a Stroke

Strokes often induce a motor deficit. The resulting immobilization is in itself an aggravation factor since it worsens the motor deficit induced by the stroke itself. Amongst the different sensory stimulations, the use of tendon vibratory stimulations (TVS) that activate proprioceptive pathways (muscle spindle fibers) is gaining increasing interest in the rehabilitation world. Tendon vibratory stimulation (TVS) can be used on patients with little to no voluntary motor functions. Therefore, it seems particularly suited to significant upper limb deficits, and especially as early as possible after a stroke occurs when motor skills are severely affected. Various studies have shown the interest of using vibratory stimulations in the management of post-stroke motor disorders. The majority were conducted in the chronic stroke stage. Only one small scale study has been conducted on the acute stroke stage.