Effects of attentional focus on upper extremity motor performance in post stroke patients: A randomized pilot study

INTRODUCTION: To facilitate the command to the learner, therapist can use verbal cues for guidance: internal focus (own body) and external focus (consequence of movement in the environment). OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of different attentional focus on upper limb motor performance in post-stroke. METHODS: Randomized controlled trial with 2 groups. Study realized at Integrated Clinic of the Faculty of Health Science at Trairi (Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil). Twelve participants allocated into 2 groups. Two motor tasks were used: task 1, reach-point; task 2, reach-grasp-fit, with the paretic extremity, using verbal commands directed by a trained therapist. In the first phase, Group 1 received commands with internal focus, while Group 2 was instructed with commands with external focus. After 1 week, the command type was changed between groups. The variables collected was movement time, velocity and number of peaks velocity RESULTS: Both attentional focus promoted significant differences in movement time and velocity, however, only Internal Focus provided significant results in both tasks of the same variables. DISCUSSION: The benefits of 1 attentional focus on the other are not fully confirmed. However, not receiving any kind of attention guidance compromises motor performance. The results support the hypothesis that the benefits of the External Focus are accentuated when preceded by the Internal Focus. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Helth Science at Trairi (Facisa - UFRN)- Number CAAE 2.625.609, approved on April 13, 2018; Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials - RBR-4995cr approved on July 4, 2019 retrospectively registered (http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-4995cr/).