This is bad science. With no diagnosis of where and what kind of damage to the motor cortex this was stupid to even attempt this. If the hand control area was dead then of course 4 weeks won't do anything. If it was penumbra damage then it might work. Damn, don't we have any stroke scientists with a modicum of intelligence?
http://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?hl=en&q=http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/srt/2012/820931.pdf&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm364oWUH3BDIxEv3FGwAF3OPLKCkw&oi=scholaralrt
Background. No strongly clinical evidence about the use of hand robot-assisted therapy in stroke patients was demonstrated. This
preliminary observer study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of intensive robot-assisted therapy in hand function recovery,
in the early phase after a stroke onset. Methods. Seven acute ischemic stroke patients at their first-ever stroke were enrolled.
Treatment was performed using Amadeo robotic system(Tyromotion GmbH Graz, Austria). Each participant received, in addition
to inpatients standard rehabilitative treatment, 20 sessions of robotic treatment for 4 consecutive weeks (5 days/week). Each session
lasted for 40 minutes. The exercises were carried out as follows: passive modality (5 minutes), passive/plus modality (5 minutes),
assisted therapy (10 minutes), and balloon (10 minutes). The following impairment and functional evaluations, Fugl-Meyer Scale
(FM), Medical Research Council Scale for Muscle Strength (hand flexor and extensor muscles) (MRC), Motricity Index (MI), and
modified Ashworth Scale for wrist and handmuscles (AS), were performed at the beginning (T0), after 10 sessions (T1), and at the
end of the treatment (T2). The strength hand flexion and extension performed by Robot were assessed at T0 and T2. The Barthel
Index and COMP (performance and satisfaction subscale) were assessed at T0 and T2. Results. Clinical improvements were found
in all patients. No dropouts were recorded during the treatment and all subjects fulfilled the protocol. Evidence of a significant
improvement was demonstrated by the Friedman test for the MRC (P < 0.0123). Evidence of an improvement was demonstrated
for AS, FM, and MI. Conclusions. This original rehabilitation treatment could contribute to increase the hand motor recovery in
acute stroke patients. The simplicity of the treatment, the lack of side effects, and the first positive results in acute stroke patients
support the recommendations to extend the clinical trial of this treatment, in association with physiotherapy and/or occupational
therapy.
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