Generalizability of neuromuscular coordination in the human upper extremity after stroke and its implications in neurorehabilitation

This study provides several implications to stroke neurorehabilitation. First, accessible isometric conditions, especially for severely impaired stroke survivors, can be adopted as biomechanical conditions of therapeutic exercises expecting potential transferability of motor learning effects to dynamic conditions. Second, fractionation of merged synergies after stroke can be a potential rehabilitation target to enhance motor control. Finally, dynamic tasks can be effective in assessing and intervening in potential motor abnormalities that may not be prominent during isometric conditions. These results highlight the importance of developing novel stroke rehabilitation strategies that aim at improving intermuscular coordination characteristics to enhance motor function across varying biomechanical conditions after stroke.