Enhancing Upper Limb Function and Motor Skills Post-Stroke Through an Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot

Summary

This protocol describes an upper limb rehabilitation robot that provides intelligent feedback through four modes. These modes enhance upper limb function and flexibility, thereby improving patients' quality of life.

Abstract

Cerebrovascular accidents, commonly known as strokes, represent a prevalent neurological event leading to significant upper limb disabilities, thereby profoundly affecting individuals' activities of daily living and diminishing their quality of life. Traditional rehabilitation methods for upper limb recovery post-stroke are often hindered by limitations, including therapist and patient fatigue, reliance on singular training methodologies, and lack of sustained motivation. Addressing these challenges, this study introduces an upper limb rehabilitation robot, which uses intelligent feedback motion control to improve therapeutic outcomes. The system is distinguished by its capability to adjust the direction and magnitude of force feedback dynamically, based on the detection of spastic movements during exercises, thereby offering a tailored therapeutic experience. This system is equipped with four distinct training modes, intelligent assessment of joint range of motion, and the ability to personalize training programs. Moreover, it provides an immersive interactive gaming experience coupled with comprehensive safety measures. This multifaceted approach not only elevates the engagement and interest of participants beyond traditional rehabilitation protocols but also demonstrates significant improvements in upper limb functionality and the activities of daily living among hemiplegic patients. The system exemplifies an advanced tool in upper limb rehabilitation, offering a synergistic blend of precision, personalization, and interactive engagement, thereby broadening the therapeutic options available to stroke survivors.

Introduction

Stroke, identified as an acute neurological event caused by the blockage or rupture of cerebral vessels, interrupts brain circulation¹, ranking as the second leading cause of death and a major contributor to long-term disability worldwide. On the initial day following a stroke, up to 80% of survivors experience upper limb dysfunction, with 30%-66% still facing challenges six months later². After one year, those with upper limb impairments report heightened anxiety, diminished quality of life, and reduced happiness³. Moreover, by 16 months post-stroke, only about 60% of hemiplegic individuals requi....

Protocol

This study was approved by the ethics committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, China, and all research protocols were formulated in compliance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All patients provided written informed consent to participate in this study. The study recruited 24 patients with upper limb hemiplegia who were admitted to the rehabilitation ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University from January 2023 to June 2023. Inclusion criteria were: first ische.......

Discussion

Building upon previous research²⁰, this study adopts an integrated approach by combining robotic training for upper limb rehabilitation with conventional therapeutic methods for post-stroke recovery. The current findings suggest that this integration substantially enhances upper limb motor function and improves the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), surpassing the outcomes achieved with traditional rehabilitation techniques alone.

This investigation e.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot[Fourier M2]	Shanghai Fourier Intelligence, China	ArmMotus M2	The upper limb intelligent force feedback motion control training system [M2] is a new generation of upper limb intelligent force feedback rehabilitation robot training system independently developed by Shanghai Fourier Intelligence. Based on core technologies such as force feedback, this training system can sense the patient's force and whether there is any spasticity when the patient completes the predetermined action, and then change the power assist or resistance of the device itself, so as to improve the upper limb motor dysfunction. Through goal-oriented training, M2 endows games with training, increases the enthusiasm of patients, and more effectively exercises the gross motor function and cognitive function of patients' upper limbs.
SAS software	SAS Institute		https://www.sas.com/en_in/home.html
SPSS software	IBM	version 26	https://www.ibm.com/products/spss-statistics