Table 1 Overview variables.

Training modality

A specific training form with active motor movements [11]

1. Endurance training: Training to reduce neuromuscular fatigue and/or increase cardiovascular fitness[24]

x

x

2. Strength training: Training to increase voluntary strength [24]

x

x

3. Analytical training: Movements without a specific goal, usually occurring in one single movement plane and one single joint [13]

x

x

4. Skill training (basic and complex): Defined according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Basic: sitting balance, fine hand use, and hand and arm use

Complex: washing oneself, dressing, preparing meals, caring for body parts, eating, doing housework, toileting and drinking

x

x

Task-oriented training components

Training characteristics supporting motor learning [13]

1. Functional movements

x

2. Clear functional goal

x

3. Client-centered goal

x

4. Overload

x

5. Real-life object manipulation

x

6. Context-specific environment

x

7. Exercise progression

x

8. Exercise variety

x

9. Feedback

x

10. Multiple movement planes

x

11. Total skill practice

x

12. Patient-customized training load

x

13. Random practice

x

14. Distributed practice

x

15. Bimanual practice

x

Objective therapy dose dimensions

1. Planned therapy time: The planned session time on the person’s schedule

x

2. Session length: The time the patient and therapist interact in the therapy context

x

3. Session length arm-hand: The time of the session length that is spent on arm-hand training

x

x

4. Active time arm-hand: Active time was measured by the time the person actively moved the upper limb during the session length. When the person was not actively moving the upper limb for more than 5 s, this was accounted as rest and indicated as non-active time.

x

x

5. Session objective intensity: Every repetition of the upper limb during endurance, strength, and analytical training was defined as any movement from the initial position and back, from the initial position to the desired position, and from one surface to another using the upper limb [19]. The repetitions during skill training were defined as any movement that accomplishes or attempts to accomplish a functional task [21]. Every repetition with the upper limb was counted using a hand counter

x

x

Subjective therapy dose dimensions

1. Session subjective intensity: How intense the person perceives the task, is indicated by the level of physical fatigue. The person indicated before and after the session how physically fatigued he was on a visual analog scale from 0 (not physically fatigued at all) to 10 (extremely physically fatigued)

x

2. Session difficulty: How hard the person intrinsically perceives the task. The person indicated after each session how difficult the session was for him on a visual analog scale from 0 (not difficult at all) to 10 (extremely difficult)

x

Motivation

The person indicated after each session how motivated the session was for him on a visual analog scale from 0 (not motivating at all) to 10 (extremely motivating)

x