The effects of post-stroke upper-limb training with an electromyography (EMG)-driven hand robot.
Loss of hand function and finger dexterity are main disabilities in the upper limb after stroke. An electromyography (EMG)-driven hand robot had been developed for post-stroke rehabilitation training. The effectiveness of the hand robot assisted whole upper limb training was investigated on persons with chronic stroke (n=10) in this work. All subjects attended a 20-session training (3-5times/week) by using the hand robot to practice object grasp/release and arm transportation tasks. Significant motor improvements were observed in the Fugl-Meyer hand/wrist and shoulder/elbow scores (p<0.05), and also in the Action Research Arm Test and Wolf Motor Function Test (p<0.05). Significant reduction in spasticity of the fingers as was measured by the Modified Ashworth Score (p<0.05). The training improved the muscle co-ordination between the antagonist muscle pair (flexor digitorum (FD) and extensor digitorum (ED)), associated with a significant reduction in the ED EMG level (p<0.05) and a significant decrease of ED and FD co-contraction during the training (p<0.05); the excessive muscle activities in the biceps brachii were also reduced significantly after the training (p<0.05).
Interdisciplinary Division of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
X L
XL
Hu
K Y
KY
Tong
X J
XJ
Wei
W
W
Rong
E A
EA
Susanto
S K
SK
Ho
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology
Hand; Rehabilitation robot; Stroke