Article

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of a combined clinic-home intervention
using a robotic elbow brace and, secondarily, to collect preliminary data on the
efficacy of this clinic-home intervention.
DESIGN: Nonrandomized
pre-/postinterventional study. SETTING: Outpatient clinic and participants'
homes. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals at least 6 months after stroke (N=11; 5 women
and 6 men; mean age, 51.7y; mean time since stroke, 7.6y; mean Fugl-Meyer
Assessment of the Upper Extremity [FMA-UE] score, 22 of 66) were enrolled from
the community. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received training in an outpatient
clinic from an experienced occupational therapist to gain independence with use
of the device (3-9 sessions) followed by a 6-week home program using the device
at home. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Five instruments were administered before and
after the study intervention: Modified Ashworth Scale, Box and Blocks test,
FMA-UE, Arm Motor Ability Test, and Motor Activity Log-Amount of Use and Motor
Activity Log-How Well subscales (MAL-AOU, MAL-HW). RESULTS: Nine participants
completed the study. Participants used the device on average 42.9min/d, 5.3d/wk.
The FMA-UE (t=3.32; P=.01), MAL-AOU (t=4.40; P=.002), and MAL-HW (t=4.02; P=.004)
scores showed statistically significant improvement from baseline to discharge;
the MAL-AOU (t=2.61; P=.035) and MAL-HW (t=2.47; P=.043) scores were also
significantly improved from baseline to 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This
combined clinic-home intervention was feasible and effective. Participants
demonstrated improvements in arm impairment and self-reported use of the arm from
baseline to discharge; they continued to report significant improvement in actual
use of the arm at 3-month follow-up.
CI - Copyright (c) 2015 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS