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Background and Objective: Disability of upper extrimity from stroke are often permanent. Despite numerous functional problems, there is less attention to upper exterimity disabilitis than lower limbs. Some new methods of treatment focuses on using the magnetic stimulation as a means brain currents to produce therapeutic effects. This study was done to evalute the effect of low frequency repeatitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to improve motor function and grip force of upper limb in hemiplegic patients. Materials and Methods: This clinical trial study was done on 12 stroke hemiplegic patients in Firoozgar hospital in Tehran, Iran during 2009-10. Patients in group I, recieved rehabilitation program with placebo magnetic stimulation, and patients in group II, received magnetic stimulation with routine rehabilitation program for 10 session, 3 times in week. Pre and post were evaluated by Barthel and Fugl-Meyer indeces and dynamometer. Data were analyzed using SPSS-15, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, paired t-test, independent t-test and Wilcoxon signed tests. Results: According to Barthel and Fugl-Meyer indeces both groups I, II showed significant improvement (P<0.05). Using dynamometer, it was demenstrated that grip force of upper limb in group I was not significant but this index in group II was significant after intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that low frequency repeatitive truscrianial magnetic stimulation has therapuetic effect on grip force of upper limb.

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Background and Objective: Disabilities in upper limb due to stroke are the major problems in hemiplegic patients. Recently, joystick method as new method is applied for the improvment of upper limb disabilities. This study was carried out to compare the effect of joystick in compination verses routine rehabilitation and routine rehabilitation program on hand muscles stiffness in hemiplegic patients. Methods: In this clinical trial study, 12 hemiplegic patients were randomly divided into two control and interventional groups. Subjects in the control group were received rehabilitation program with placebo joystick. Patients in interventional group were received joystick treatment with routine rehabilitation program for 10 sessions, 3 times a week. Pre and post-treatment evaluation was performed based on Wrist Robo Hab method. Results: Flextion and pronation muscle stiffness in control patients showed non significant improvement, but in the interventional group, significant improvement were observed (P<0.05). At the end of study, there was not any significant difference between control and interventional group. Conclusion: According to this finding, there was not any significant difference between the combination of joystick and rehabilitation treatment and routine rehabilitation program on the hand muscle function in hemiplegic patients.