Article

Individuals with chronic stroke often have long-lasting upper
extremity impairments that impede function during activities of daily living.
Rehabilitation robotics have shown promise in improving arm function, but current
systems do not allow realistic training of activities of daily living. We have
incorporated the ARMin III and HandSOME device into a novel robotic therapy
modality that provides functional training of reach and grasp tasks. OBJECTIVE:
To compare the effects of equal doses of robotic and conventional therapy in
individuals with chronic stroke. METHODS: Subjects were randomized to 12 hours of
robotic or conventional therapy and then crossed over to the other therapy type
after a 1-month washout period. Twelve moderate to severely impaired individuals
with chronic stroke were enrolled, and 10 completed the study. RESULTS: Across
the 3-month study period, subjects showed significant improvements in the
Fugl-Meyer (P = .013) and Box and Blocks tests (P = .028). The robotic
intervention produced significantly greater improvements in the Action Research
Arm Test than conventional therapy (P = .033). Gains in the Box and Blocks test
from conventional therapy were larger than from robotic therapy in subjects who
received conventional therapy after robotic therapy (P = .044). CONCLUSIONS: Data
suggest that robotic therapy can elicit improvements in arm function that are
distinct from conventional therapy and supplements conventional methods to
improve outcomes. Results from this pilot study should be confirmed in a larger
study.

Langue : ANGLAIS