Immediate Effects of Open and Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises on Upper Extremity in Stroke Patients.

Stroke is a sudden disruption of blood flow to the brain, resulting in physical and mental disabilities. It's a global health issue affecting millions each year, often leading to paralysis, altered muscle tone, and loss of motor control and balance. This study aims to examine the immediate effects of open and closed kinetic chain activites on upper extremity spasticity and motor dexterity in hemiplegic patients. This study will be conducted simultaneously at İstinye University Hospital Medical Park Gaziosmanpaşa and İstinye University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Application and Research Center (İSÜFİZYOTEM). 50 stroke patients will be included in the study, and all participants will be asked to sign an informed consent form. At the beginning of the session, all participants will be evaluated for their socio-demographic characteristics by a questionnaire created by the researchers, muscle viscoelastic properties by MyotonPRO, upper extremity muscle tone by Modified Ashworth Scale, upper extremity motor dexterity by Box and Block Test, and upper extremity joint range of motion by goniometer and by a phone application named as PhysioMaster. After the assessment, participants will be randomly assigned to two groups: open kinetic chain activity group and closed kinetic chain activity group. After performing the exercises, all evaluations will be conducted again. Thus, the aim is to understand the immediate effects of two different group exercises on the evaluated parameters.