The present study meets the ethical standards of the
Declaration of Helsinki (1975, revised 1983) and received
Institutional Review Board approval from C University
hospitals, located in three different locations in Seoul and
Gyoeng-gi Province, South Korea. The study took place between
4 November 2007 and 31 August 2008. Pretest measurements
of general characteristics, remedial stage, and
the level of upper extremity functions for both groups of
participants were performed by Research Assistant A, who
was not aware of which group the participants belonged to.
Research Assistant B, who did not have any knowledge of
the pretest measurements, administered the ROM exercise
to the experimental group, which included patients with mobile
upper extremities to those that were paralyzed, in the
order of the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers. Without
giving any information about the rest of the study, the same
treatment was given to the control group 2 weeks later. Research
Assistant A measured the level of upper extremity
function (upper extremity edema, ROM, acute stroke upper
extremity function) and ADL of both groups 2 and 4 weeks
after the initial test.