Background and aim: Most of the rehabilitation treatments for hemiplegic patients focus on compensatory strategies to promote independence in ADL by any means for restoration of upper exterimity (UE) function . Patients were taught to use the unaffected UE and various assistive device for ADL. In contrast, Constraint-Induced Therapy (CIT) treatments discourage the use of unaffected UE and encourage the use of the hemiplegic arm . The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of constraint-induced therapy on ADL of adult hemiplegic patients.

 Materials and methods: This study is an interventional study. In present study, 15 patients who had hemiplegic arm following stroke, participated in constraint-induced therapy sessions emphasizing on more affected UE in different activities five times a week for 8 weeks and 2 hours a day. Noninvolved UE was restricted with a special sling for 8 weeks and 5 hours a day.

 Result: The measurements of self care activities, mobility and total score of stroke patients were evaluated with Barthel-Index. The date showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p<0.001).

Functional measurements of upper extremity in ADL by using Arm Function Test showed significant differences between mean score of pre and post interventions (p<0.0001).

Conclusion: Presents data showed that constraint-induced therapy could be an effective approach to improve Activities of Daily Living of stroke patients and emphasis on more use of involved UE and overcome disuse learning.