Abstract: Objective To observe the effect of crawling exercise and bilateral electrical stimulation on the upper limb motor after stroke. Methods 60 stroke patients were divided into experimental group (n=30) and control group (n=30). Both groups received routine therapy. The control group received unilateral electrical stimulation on the upper limbs, and the experimental group received electrical stimulation on bilateral upper limbs and crawling exercise. All the patients were assessed with the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and the modified Barthel index (MBI) before and after treatment. Results After 8 weeks of treatment, the scores of MAS, FMA and MBI improved in both groups (P<0.05), and improved more in the experimental group than in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion The crawling exercise and bilateral electrical stimulation can improve the motor of upper limbs and activities of daily living more effectively than the unilateral electrical stimulation after stroke.

Key words: stroke, hemiplegia, crawling exercise, bilateral electrical stimulation, upper limb motor