To evaluate the effect of treatment techniques used to reduce the edema in the paralyzed hand of the hemiplegic patients, EST(Electrical Stimulation Therapy), hand CPM(Continuous Passive Motion), elevation of affected arm and sequential IPC(Intermittent Pneumatic Compression), were tried to 9 hemiplegic patients. Hand volumeter was used to measure hand volume of pre- and posttreatment to quantify the amount of edema reduced by the treatment. 1) Mean difference of hand volume between the affected and the unaffected prior to treatment was 93.9 cc(19.8%) and mean duration after onset of hemiplegia was 46.6 weeks. 2) After EST, hand CPM, elevation and sequential IPC, mean differences of hand volume between pre- and posttreatment were 41.7 cc(7.6%), 41.1 cc(7.4%), 35.0 cc(6.6%), 37.8 cc(6.7%) respectively(p<0.005). 3) There was no statistically significant difference in the effects among 4 treatment technique used in this study. 4) There was no significant correlation between treatment effect and the duration of hemiplegia or pretreatment hand volume. The result of this study suggest that EST, CPM, elevation of affected arm and sequential IPC are effective for the reduction of paralyzed hand edema volume in hemiplegic patients. Further research should include the duration of persistent effect of each treatment in different intensities and sequence for the development of the adequate treatment protocol of edematous hand in hemiplegic patients. |