Article

Geographical location, socioeconomic status, and logistics
surrounding transportation impede access of poststroke individuals to
comprehensive rehabilitative services. Robotic therapy may enhance
telerehabilitation by delivering consistent and state-of-the art therapy while
allowing remote monitoring and adjusting therapy for underserved populations. The
Hand Mentor Pro (HMP) was incorporated within a home exercise program (HEP) to
improve upper-extremity (UE) functional capabilities poststroke. OBJECTIVE: To
determine the efficacy of a home-based telemonitored robotic-assisted therapy as
part of a HEP compared with a dose-matched HEP-only intervention among
individuals less than 6 months poststroke and characterized as underserved.
METHODS: In this prospective, single-blinded, multisite, randomized controlled
trial, 99 hemiparetic participants with limited access to UE rehabilitation were
randomized to either (1) the experimental group, which received combined HEP and
HMP for 3 h/d x5 days x8 weeks, or (2) the control group, which received HEP only
at an identical dosage. Weekly communication between the supervising therapist
and participant promoted compliance and progression of the HEP and HMP
prescription. The Action Research Arm Test and Wolf Motor Function Test along
with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UE) were primary and secondary outcome measures,
respectively, undertaken before and after the interventions. RESULTS: Both groups
demonstrated improvement across all UE outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:
Robotic + HEP and
HEP only were both effectively delivered remotely. There was no difference
between groups in change in motor function over time. Additional research is
necessary to determine the appropriate dosage of HMP and HEP.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2015.

Langue : ANGLAIS