Using Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robot in Stroke Patient Rehabilitation

Launched by NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL · Oct 31, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring the use of a robotic arm to help people who have had a stroke recover their upper limb function. The robot is designed to assist with rehabilitation, making it easier for therapists to help patients regain strength and movement in their arms after a stroke, which can happen when blood flow to the brain is interrupted. The study aims to include adults who have had their first stroke within the last 2 weeks to 2 years and have some ability to understand instructions and maintain balance while sitting.

To participate, individuals must be experiencing weakness on one side of their body (known as unilateral hemiplegia) and have a certain level of movement ability, as measured by a specific scale. However, those who are not fully conscious, have serious mental health issues, significant cognitive challenges, or other severe medical conditions may not be eligible. Participants can expect to work with the robotic arm under the guidance of trained professionals, helping to improve their arm function and reduce the workload for therapists. This trial is currently looking for volunteers of all genders and ages between 18 and 90.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. First-time stroke, occurring between 2 weeks and 2 years after onset, resulting in unilateral hemiplegia.
• • 2. Able to understand and follow simple instructions.
• • 3. Able to maintain a sitting posture balance.
• • 4. Rank on the Brunnstrom Scale is between two and five.
• • 5. Both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes are included.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Not yet fully conscious.
• • 2. Suffering from a psychiatric disorder or post-stroke psychiatric abnormalities.
• • 3. Cognitive or behavioral impairments that affect the ability to comprehend or execute the experimental tasks.
• • 4. Severe aphasia preventing compliance with researchers' instructions for this study.
• • 5. Medical conditions in internal medicine that jeopardize patient safety, such as severe heart or lung diseases, or patients requiring bed rest.
• • 6. Patients with a severe systemic illness requiring bed rest.
• • 7. Patients with shoulder joint pathology unable to undergo exercise therapy.
• • 8. Patients with severe osteoporosis who have concerns about fractures during physical activity.
• • 9. Patients with arrhythmia and implanted cardiac pacemakers.
• • 10. Severe uncontrolled seizures that cannot be improved with medication, physical therapy, botulinum toxin injections, or phenol block procedures.