Understanding and treating arm movement impairment after chronic brain injury: progress with the ARM guide.

TLDR

Robotic and mechatronic devices hold significant potential to enhance physical rehabilitation after neurological injury, and future research should address their efficacy and practicality. This review examines the development of the ARM Guide, a rehabilitator designed to diagnose and treat arm movement impairment after stroke and other brain injuries. The ARM Guide functions as both a diagnostic tool—evaluating abnormal tone, incoordination, and weakness—and a therapeutic device that delivers and assesses active assist therapy for the arm. Initial trials with three stroke patients show that active assist therapy via the ARM Guide yields measurable improvements in chronic hemiparetic arm function.

Abstract

Significant potential exists for enhancing physical rehabilitation following neurologic injury through the use of robotic and mechatronic devices (or "rehabilitators"). We review the development of a rehabilitator (the "ARM Guide") to diagnose and treat arm movement impairment following stroke and other brain injuries. As a diagnostic tool, the ARM Guide provides a basis for evaluation of several key motor impairments, including abnormal tone, incoordination, and weakness. As a therapeutic tool, the device provides a means to implement and evaluate active assist therapy for the arm. Initial results with three stroke subjects demonstrate that such therapy can produce quantifiable benefits in the chronic hemiparetic arm. Directions for future research regarding the efficacy and practicality of rehabilitators are discussed.