[Arm rehabilitation : Current concepts and therapeutic options].

BACKGROUND: Arm paralysis after a stroke is a major cause of impairment.

OBJECTIVE: Presentation of therapeutic options and the efficacy in arm rehabilitation after stroke.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Based on a systematic critical appraisal of randomized controlled trials (RCT) the therapeutic procedures for arm paralysis after stroke in the context of their effectiveness are introduced, including robotic therapy, mirror therapy, constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), arm basis training, arm ability training, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, bilateral and task-specific training, mental training and transcranial stimulation techniques, such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Several therapeutic procedures with proven efficacy are currently available for arm rehabilitation after stroke. Their differential indications are presented and associated with conclusions for clinical practice.