Highlights
- •Biofeedback associated with conventional therapy showed a small clinical effect.
- •Most analysis showed no superiority of biofeedback compared to conventional therapy.
- •Biofeedback for upper limb function rehabilitation post stroke remains uncertain.
Abstract
Background
Biofeedback has been used by rehabilitation professionals in the treatment of poststroke
function impairments.
Purpose
Investigate the efficacy of any type of biofeedback intervention for the treatment
of upper limb function in individuals following stroke.
Study Design
Systematic review of literature with meta-analysis.
Methods
Literature searches were conducted using MESH terms and text words in PubMed, Lilacs,
Scielo, Scopus, PEDro, and Web of Science databases. The main outcome was improvement
in upper limb's motor function and motor function in activities of daily living. We
calculated the Mean Difference and Standardized Mean Difference for the assessment
scales reported as primary outcome. The methodological quality of included studies
was assessed using PEDro scale. The overall quality of the evidence was assessed using
GRADE system.
Results
From 1360 articles identified, 16 were included in the review (09 in the meta-analysis).
Three forest plots of hemiparesis and one of hemiplegia showed that biofeedback therapy
associated with conventional therapy has a greater improvement in participants upper
limb motor function when compared to isolated conventional therapy. Two forest plots
of hemiparesis and one of hemiplegia showed no superiority in participants improvement
for biofeedback associated with conventional therapy when compared to isolated conventional
therapy.
Conclusion
Biofeedback therapy associated with conventional therapy showed a small clinical effect
when associated to conventional therapy and very low quality of evidence. Although
further research with higher quality evidence is needed.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: July 08, 2022
Accepted:
May 23,
2022
Received in revised form:
February 20,
2022
Received:
March 25,
2021
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofFootnotes
Conflict of interest: All named authors hereby declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Identification
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