Article

The successful motor rehabilitation of stroke patients requires early intensive
and task-specific therapy.
A recent Cochrane Review, although based on a limited
number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), showed that early robotic training
of the upper limb (i.e., during acute or subacute phase) can enhance motor
learning and improve functional abilities more than chronic-phase training. In
this article, a new subacute-phase RCT with the Neuro-Rehabilitation-roBot
(NeReBot) is presented. While in our first study we used the NeReBot in addition
to conventional therapy, in this new trial we used the same device in
substitution of standard proximal upper-limb rehabilitation.
With this protocol,
robot patients achieved similar reductions in motor impairment and enhancements
in paretic upper-limb function to those gained by patients in a control group. By
analyzing these results and those of previous studies, we hypothesize a new robotic protocol for acute and subacute stroke patients based on both treatment modalities (in addition and in substitution).

Langue : ANGLAIS