This study will compare two treatments that may help participants recover after having suffered from stroke. Persons who experience weakness or paralysis of their arms/hands will be randomly placed in one of two groups. Each receives treatment five times a week for three weeks. One group will be treated with electrostimulation following a cyclic pattern (control treatment), the other group will be treated with electrostimulation triggered by nerve signals (i.e. stimulation starts when they deliberately try to move their arm (investigational treatment). Before and after the three weeks and additionally 12 weeks later, the ability to move the arm and hand will be documented with standardized tests.
First-time ischemic stroke with moderate arm paresis (Motricity Index - UE Sum-Score ≥ 40 ≤ 77 points) (Collin & Wade, 1990)
Early to late subacute phase (7 days - 6 months) (Bernhardt et al., 2017)
Existing ADL ability before the event (ICF d5 self-care, d6 domestic life, extent of problem ≤1 points) (WHO, 2001)
Age ≥18 - 99 years
Lack of compliance with any inclusion criteria
Implanted defibrillators, brain stimulators, pacemakers, medication pumps
Therapy-resistant epilepsy
Fever or infectious diseases