Effect of task-oriented training assisted by force feedback hand rehabilitation robot on finger grasping function in stroke patients with hemiplegia: a randomised controlled trial.
Over 80% of patients with stroke experience finger grasping dysfunction, affecting independence in activities of daily living and quality of life. In routine training, task-oriented training is usually used for functional hand training, which may improve finger grasping performance after stroke, while augmented therapy may lead to a better treatment outcome. As a new technology-supported training, the hand rehabilitation robot provides opportunities to improve the therapeutic effect by increasing the training intensity. However, most hand rehabilitation robots commonly applied in clinics are based on a passive training mode and lack the sensory feedback function of fingers, which is not conducive to patients completing more accurate grasping movements. A force feedback hand rehabilitation robot can compensate for these defects. However, its clinical efficacy in patients with stroke remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and added value of a force feedback hand rehabilitation robot combined with task-oriented training in stroke patients with hemiplegia.
In this single-blinded randomised controlled trial, 44 stroke patients with hemiplegia were randomly divided into experimental (n = 22) and control (n = 22) groups. Both groups received 40 min/day of conventional upper limb rehabilitation training. The experimental group received 20 min/day of task-oriented training assisted by a force feedback rehabilitation robot, and the control group received 20 min/day of task-oriented training assisted by therapists. Training was provided for 4 weeks, 5 times/week. The Fugl-Meyer motor function assessment of the hand part (FMA-Hand), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), grip strength, Modified Ashworth scale (MAS), range of motion (ROM), Brunnstrom recovery stages of the hand (BRS-H), and Barthel index (BI) were used to evaluate the effect of two groups before and after treatment.
Intra-group comparison: In both groups, the FMA-Hand, ARAT, grip strength, AROM, BRS-H, and BI scores after 4 weeks of treatment were significantly higher than those before treatment (p < 0.05), whereas there was no significant difference in finger flexor MAS scores before and after treatment (p > 0.05). Inter-group comparison: After 4 weeks of treatment, the experimental group's FMA-Hand total score, ARAT, grip strength, and AROM were significantly better than those of the control group (p < 0.05). However, there were no statistically significant differences in the scores of each sub-item of the FMA-Hand after Bonferroni correction (p > 0.007). In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in MAS, BRS-H, and BI scores (p > 0.05).
Hand performance improved in patients with stroke after 4 weeks of task-oriented training. The use of a force feedback hand rehabilitation robot to support task-oriented training showed additional value over conventional task-oriented training in stroke patients with hand dysfunction.
NCT05841108.
Li Y
,Lian Y
,Chen X
,Zhang H
,Xu G
,Duan H
,Xie X
,Li Z
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《Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation》
Proprioceptive Training with Visual Feedback Improves Upper Limb Function in Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study.
Proprioceptive deficit is one of the common sensory impairments following stroke and has a negative impact on motor performance. However, evidence-based training procedures and cost-efficient training setups for patients with poststroke are still limited. We compared the effects of proprioceptive training versus nonspecific sensory stimulation on upper limb proprioception and motor function rehabilitation. In this multicenter, single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 40 participants with poststroke hemiparesis were enrolled from 3 hospitals in China. Participants were assigned randomly to receive proprioceptive training involving passive and active movements with visual feedback (proprioceptive training group [PG]; n = 20) or nonspecific sensory stimulation (control group [CG]; n = 20) 20 times in four weeks. Each session lasted 30 minutes. A clinical assessor blinded to group assignment evaluated patients before and after the intervention. The primary outcome was the change in the motor subscale of the Fugl-Meyer assessment for upper extremity (FMA-UE-M). Secondary outcomes were changes in box and block test (BBT), thumb localization test (TLT), the sensory subscale of the Fugl-Meyer assessment for upper extremity (FMA-UE-S), and Barthel Index (BI). The results showed that the mean change scores of FMA-UE were significantly greater in the PG than in the CG (p = 0.010 for FMA-UE-M, p = 0.033 for FMA-UE-S). The PG group was improved significantly in TLT (p = 0.010) and BBT (p = 0.027), while there was no significant improvement in TLT (p = 0.083) and BBT (p = 0.107) for the CG group. The results showed that proprioceptive training was effective in improving proprioception and motor function of the upper extremity in patients with poststroke. This trial is registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000037808).
He J
,Li C
,Lin J
,Shu B
,Ye B
,Wang J
,Lin Y
,Jia J
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Virtual Reality in Upper Extremity Rehabilitation of Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Virtual reality game system is one of novel approaches, which can improve hemiplegic extremity functions of stroke patients. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect video game system on upper limb motor functions for subacute stroke patients.
The study included 42 stroke patients of which 35 (19 Virtual reality group, 16 control group) completed the study. All patients received 60 minutes of conventional therapy for upper extremity, 5 times per-week for 4 weeks. Virtual reality group additionally received Xbox Kinect game system 30 minutes per-day. Patients were evaluated prior to the rehabilitation and at the end of 4 weeks. Box&Block Test, Functional independence measure self-care score, Brunnstorm stage and Fugl-Meyer upper extremity motor function scale were used as outcome measures.
The Brunnstrom stages and the scores on the Fugl-Meyer upper extremity, Box&Block Test and Functional independence measure improved significantly from baseline to post-treatment in both the experimental and the control groups. The Brunnstrom stage-upper extremity and Box&Block Test gain for the experimental group were significantly higher compared to the control group, while the Brunnstrom stage-hand, the Functional independence measure gain and Fugl-Meyer gain were similar between the groups.
We found evidence that kinect-based game system in addition to conventional therapy may have supplemental benefit for stroke patients. However, for virtual reality game systems to enter the routine practice of stroke rehabilitation, randomized controlled clinical trials with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes are needed especially to determine an optimal duration and intensity of the treatment.
Ikbali Afsar S
,Mirzayev I
,Umit Yemisci O
,Cosar Saracgil SN
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