ArticleCureus2026
Synergistic Effect of Iontophoresis and Motor Imagery Training on Upper Limb Functional Reach in Subacute Stroke Patients.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, with upper limb dysfunction being one of the most common impairments affecting independence in daily activities. Reduced functional reach is often associated with spasticity, muscle weakness, and impaired motor planning. Conventional physiotherapy primarily focuses on physical rehabilitation but may not sufficiently address both peripheral and central mechanisms involved in recovery. Therefore, combining peripheral interventions such as iontophoresis with central strategies like motor imagery (MI) may enhance functional outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the synergistic effect of iontophoresis combined with MI training on upper limb functional reach in subacute stroke patients. Methods This experimental study included 34 subacute stroke patients (40-60 years) randomly allocated into Group A (conventional therapy with magnesium sulphate iontophoresis) and Group B (conventional therapy with iontophoresis plus MI). Interventions were administered for six weeks (five sessions/week). Outcome measures included the Functional Reach Test (FRT), Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and Fugl‑Meyer Assessment (FMA)-upper‑limb component. Pre‑ and post‑intervention data were analyzed using paired and unpaired t‑tests. Results Both groups showed significant post‑intervention improvements; however, Group B demonstrated significantly greater gains. The mean FRT improved by 11.18 cm in Group B compared to 2.31 cm in Group A (p < 0.0001). MAS and FMA scores also showed highly significant intergroup differences (p < 0.0001), indicating greater reduction in spasticity and improvement in voluntary motor control with the combined approach. Conclusion The addition of MI to iontophoresis and conventional therapy produces superior improvement in upper‑limb functional reach and motor recovery in subacute stroke patients, offering a feasible and cost‑effective neurorehabilitation strategy.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.