This entry takes a look at the “high-tech” aspect of stroke rehabilitation with a particular emphasis on robotic therapy.
Amadeo Robot showing attachment of fingers to device.
The use of robotic devices is appealing as a means of delivering well-defined repetitive exercises in a consistent fashion. Robotic devices also are suitable for use by individuals with more severe weakness who may not be able to complete conventional exercises without assistance. Robots also have the potential to provide a more labor-efficient exercise program that does not require as direct supervision by highly trained therapists. Ultimately, robotic therapy should allow patients to achieve larger overall doses of exercise treatment through the use of home-based or unsupervised robotic training. The abstract of our pilot study follows:
Objective: Upper-limb paresis is a major source of disability in stroke survivors, and robotic device-aided exercise therapy is a promising approach to enhance motor abilities. Few robotic devices have been available to provide therapy to the fingers and hand. This study was designed to test a new robotic device for hand rehabilitation in stroke survivors.
Design: This is an open-label pilot study of 12 individuals with chronic moderate hemiparesis after stroke. Participants underwent a 6-wk training program using a hand robotic device. Participants received a total of 18 hrs of robotic therapy.
Results: Improvements were found in multiple measures of motor performance, including the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer test, the Motor Activity Log, the Manual Ability Measure-36, and the Jebsen Hand Function Test. All subjects tolerated the treatment well and no complications were observed.
Conclusions: Robotic therapy for hand paresis after stroke is safe and feasible, and further studies of efficacy are justified by these preliminary results.
Stein, Joel; Bishop, Lauri; Gillen, Glen; Helbok, Raimund. Robot-Assisted Exercise for Hand Weakness After Stroke: A Pilot Study. American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 90(11):887-894, November 2011.
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