Dyskinesia of the upper limbs caused by stroke,sports injury,or trafc accidents limits the ability to perform the activities of daily living.Besides the necessary medical treatment,correct and scientifc rehabilitation...Dyskinesia of the upper limbs caused by stroke,sports injury,or trafc accidents limits the ability to perform the activities of daily living.Besides the necessary medical treatment,correct and scientifc rehabilitation training for the injured joint is an important auxiliary means during the treatment of the efected upper limb.Conventional upperlimb rehabilitation robots have some disadvantages,such as a complex structure,poor compliance,high cost,and poor portability.In this study,a novel soft wearable upper limb rehabilitation robot(SWULRR)with reinforced soft pneumatic actuators(RSPAs)that can withstand high pressure and featuring excellent loading characteristics was developed.Driven by RSPAs,this portable SWULRR can perform rehabilitation training of the wrist and elbow joints.In this study,the kinematics of an SWULRR were analyzed,and the force and motion characteristics of RSPA were studied experimentally.The results provide a reference for the development and application of wearable upper limb rehabilitation robots.An experimental study on the rotation angle of the wrist and the pressure of the RSPA was conducted to test the efect of the rehabilitation training and verify the rationality of the theoretical model.The process of wrist rehabilitation training was tested and evaluated,indicating that SWULRR with RSPAs will enhance the fexibility,comfort,and safety of rehabilitation training.This work is expected to promote the development of wearable upper-limb rehabilitation robots based on modular reinforced soft pneumatic actuators.展开更多
The authors investigate the trajectory tracking control problem of an upper limb reha-bilitation robot system with unknown dynamics.To address the system's uncertainties and improve the tracking accuracy of the re...The authors investigate the trajectory tracking control problem of an upper limb reha-bilitation robot system with unknown dynamics.To address the system's uncertainties and improve the tracking accuracy of the rehabilitation robot,an adaptive neural full-state feedback control is proposed.The neural network is utilised to approximate the dy-namics that are not fully modelled and adapt to the interaction between the upper limb rehabilitation robot and the patient.By incorporating a high-gain observer,unmeasurable state information is integrated into the output feedback control.Taking into consider-ation the issue of joint position constraints during the actual rehabilitation training process,an adaptive neural full-state and output feedback control scheme with output constraint is further designed.From the perspective of safety in human–robot interaction during rehabilitation training,log-type barrier Lyapunov function is introduced in the output constraint controller to ensure that the output remains within the predefined constraint region.The stability of the closed-loop system is proved by Lyapunov stability theory.The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is validated by applying it to an upper limb rehabilitation robot through simulations.展开更多
Objective:To analyze the effect of limb rehabilitation therapy combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy on muscle activity in patients with upper limb dysfunction after cerebral infarction(CI).Methods:3...Objective:To analyze the effect of limb rehabilitation therapy combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy on muscle activity in patients with upper limb dysfunction after cerebral infarction(CI).Methods:320 patients with upper limb dysfunction after CI were selected,all of whom were treated in our hospital between June 2021 and June 2023.They were randomly grouped according to the lottery method into the control group(limb rehabilitation therapy,160 cases)and the intervention group(transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy+limb rehabilitation therapy,160 cases).The upper limb function scores,neuro-electrophysiological indicators,daily living ability scores,and quality of life scores of the two groups were compared.Results:Compared with the control group,upper limb function scores and daily living ability scores in the intervention group were higher after treatment,and the neuro-electrophysiological indicators of the intervention group were lower after treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion:Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy combined with limb rehabilitation therapy has significant effects in patients with upper limb dysfunction after CI and is worthy of promotion and application.展开更多
This article introduces a cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot with movable distal anchor points(M-CDLR).The traditional cable-driven parallel robots(CDPRs)control the moving platform by changing the length of...This article introduces a cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot with movable distal anchor points(M-CDLR).The traditional cable-driven parallel robots(CDPRs)control the moving platform by changing the length of cables,M-CDLR can also adjust the position of the distal anchor point when the moving platform moves.The M-CDLR this article proposed has gait and single-leg training modes,which correspond to the plane and space motion of the moving platform,respectively.After introducing the system structure configuration,the generalized kinematics and dynamics of M-CDLR are established.The fully constrained CDPRs can provide more stable rehabilitation training than the under-constrained one but requires more cables.Therefore,a motion planning method for the movable distal anchor point of M-CDLR is proposed to realize the theoretically fully constrained with fewer cables.Then the expected trajectory of the moving platform is obtained from the motion capture experiment,and the motion planning of M-CDLR under two training modes is simulated.The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed motion planning method.This study serves as a basic theoretical study of the structure optimization and control strategy of M-CDLR.展开更多
An assessment of the human motion repeatability for three selected Activities of Daily Living(ADL)is performed in this paper.These exercises were prescribed by an occupational therapist for the upper limb rehabilitati...An assessment of the human motion repeatability for three selected Activities of Daily Living(ADL)is performed in this paper.These exercises were prescribed by an occupational therapist for the upper limb rehabilitation.The movement patterns of five participants,recorded using a Qualisys motion capture system,are compared based on the Analysis of Variance(ANOVA)method.This survey is motivated by the need to find the appropriate task workspace of a 6-degrees of freedom cable-driven parallel robot for upper limb rehabilitation,which is able to reproduce the three selected exercises.This comparison is performed to justify,whether or not,there is enough similarity between the participants’gestures,and so a single reference trajectory can be adopted as the robot-prescribed workspace.Using the results of the comparative study,an optimization process of the sought robot design is carried out,where the structure size and the cable tensions simultaneously minimized.展开更多
<b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Background</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="f...<b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Background</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">: </span></b></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Active rehabilitation of the paralyzed limb is necessary for functional recovery from upper limb paralysis after stroke. In particular, the </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">amount of training is very important, and robot rehabilitation is useful. Howev</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">er, most conventional robots are expensive, large, and stationary. We have d</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">eveloped Rehabili-Mouse, a new tabletop rehabilitation robot that is compact and portable. The purpose of this study was to conduct paralyzed upper limb training for a patient after stroke using Rehabili-Mouse and to examine its effect.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Case</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">: </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The patient was a 44-year-old man who had left-sided paresis after a right cerebral infarction, 3 months after onset. The training was carried out between February 2021 and March 2021 at Oyu Rehabilitation Hot</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">spring Hospital. The training was 20 minutes of Rehabili-Mouse in addition to 40 minutes of usual occupational therapy and performed five times a week </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">for four weeks. Upper limb functions were evaluated before and after the t</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">raining, and two questionnaires of patient satisfaction with the device and the training were administered after the completion of the training. Upper limb function improved. The patient’s satisfaction with the device was poor, but his satisfaction with the training was good.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Discussion</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">: </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Training for the paralyzed upper limb after stroke using Rehabili-Mouse improved upper limb function and satisfied the trained patient. We plan to increase the number of cases and conduct further studies.</span></span></span></span></span>展开更多
This paper addresses the design of a novel bionic robotic device for upper limb rehabilitation tasks at home.The main goal of the design process has been to obtain a rehabilitation device,which can be easily portable ...This paper addresses the design of a novel bionic robotic device for upper limb rehabilitation tasks at home.The main goal of the design process has been to obtain a rehabilitation device,which can be easily portable and can be managed remotely by a professional therapist.This allows to treat people also in regions that are not easily reachable with a significant cost reduction.Other potential benefits can be envisaged,for instance,in the possibility to keep social distancing while allowing rehabilitation treatments even during a pandemic spread.Specific attention has been devoted to design the main mechatronic components by developing specific kinematics and dynamics models.The design process includes the implementation of a specific control hardware and software.Preliminary experimental tests are reported to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed design solution.展开更多
Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots integrate sensing, control, and other technologies and exhibit the characteristics of bionics, robotics, information and control science, medicine, and other interdisciplin...Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots integrate sensing, control, and other technologies and exhibit the characteristics of bionics, robotics, information and control science, medicine, and other interdisciplinary areas. In this review, the typical products and prototypes of lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robots are introduced and stateof-the-art techniques are analyzed and summarized. Because the goal of rehabilitation training is to recover patients’ sporting ability to the normal level, studying the human gait is the foundation of lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot research. Therefore, this review critically evaluates research progress in human gait analysis and systematically summarizes developments in the mechanical design and control of lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots. From the performance of typical prototypes, it can be deduced that these robots can be connected to human limbs as wearable forms;further, it is possible to control robot movement at each joint to simulate normal gait and drive the patient’s limb to realize robot-assisted rehabilitation training. Therefore human–robot integration is one of the most important research directions, and in this context, rigid-flexible-soft hybrid structure design, customized personalized gait generation, and multimodal information fusion are three key technologies.展开更多
According to clinical studies,upper limb robotic suits are vital to reduce therapist fatigue and accelerate patient rehabilitation.Soft pneumatic actuators have drawn increasing attention for the development of wearab...According to clinical studies,upper limb robotic suits are vital to reduce therapist fatigue and accelerate patient rehabilitation.Soft pneumatic actuators have drawn increasing attention for the development of wearable robots due to their low weight,flexibility,and high power-to-weight ratio.However,most of current actuators were designed for the flexion assistance of a specific joint,and that for joint extension requires further investigation.Furthermore,designing an actuator for diverse working scenarios remains a challenge.In this paper,we propose an all-fabric bi-directional actuator to assist the flexion and extension of the elbow,wrist,and fingers.A mathematical model is presented that predicts the deformation and guides the design of the proposed bi-directional actuator.To further validate the applicability and adaptability of the proposed actuator for different joints,we developed a 3-DOF soft robotic suit.Preliminary results show that the robotic suit can assist the motion of the elbow,wrist,and finger of the subject.展开更多
This paper focuses on the problem of the adaptive robust control of a lower limbs rehabilitation robot(LLRR) that is a nonlinear system running under passive training mode. In reality, uncertainties including modeling...This paper focuses on the problem of the adaptive robust control of a lower limbs rehabilitation robot(LLRR) that is a nonlinear system running under passive training mode. In reality, uncertainties including modeling error, initial condition deviation, friction force and other unknown external disturbances always exist in a LLRR system. So, it is necessary to consider the uncertainties in the unilateral man-machine dynamical model of the LLRR we described. In the dynamical model, uncertainties are(possibly fast) time-varying and bounded. However, the bounds are unknown. Based on the dynamical model, we design an adaptive robust control with an adaptive law that is leakagetype based and on the framework of Udwadia-Kalaba theory to compensate for the uncertainties and to realize tracking control of the LLRR. Furthermore, the effectiveness of designed control is shown with numerical simulations.展开更多
Background: Robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 potential changes have importantly clinical value ...Background: Robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 potential changes have importantly clinical value for evaluating the improvement in nerve function during the training as one of the objective targets. Methods: Sixty hemiplegic patients after stroke were randomly divided into a Lokomat group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The Lokomat group received Lokomat rehabilitation while the control group only received traditional rehabilitation. The gait parameters and the balance ability were evaluated by the K421GAITRite analysis system and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS);ERP components including N100, N200, P200 and P300 potential were evaluated by a muscle electric inducing potentiometer. Results: There were no significant differences in BBS and gait parameters (P > 0.05), as well as in amplitude and incubation periods (IP) (P > 0.05) between the two groups before training. After 8 weeks treatment, the total (48.88 ± 3.68), static (26.40 ± 3.14) and dynamic (22.64 ± 3.68) balance scores improved significantly;the pace (59.22 ± 4.67), stride length (19.04 ± 2.24), feet wide (98.02 ± 7.97) and walking velocity (84.86 ± 9.88) and IP of N200 and P300 shortened obviously and P300 amplitude increased significantly in robot group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This demonstrated that robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 may be considered as an indicator of neurological function improvement and effective robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training.展开更多
To achieve human lower limbs rehabilitation training,the exoskeleton lower limbs rehabilitation robot is designed. Through respective motor driving, the retarding mechanism and telescopic adjusting mechanism, the func...To achieve human lower limbs rehabilitation training,the exoskeleton lower limbs rehabilitation robot is designed. Through respective motor driving, the retarding mechanism and telescopic adjusting mechanism, the function of human walking is accomplished. After the design of the mechanical structure, the finite element analysis is carried out on the important parts and the control system is achieved by Single Chip Microcomputer.展开更多
The number of people with lower limb disabilities caused by stroke, traffic accidents and work-related injuries is increasing sharply every year in China's Mainland, and the corresponding number of rehabilitation ...The number of people with lower limb disabilities caused by stroke, traffic accidents and work-related injuries is increasing sharply every year in China's Mainland, and the corresponding number of rehabilitation therapists is obviously insufficient. To solve this problem, domestic large hospitals have introduced advanced lower limb rehabilitation robots from abroad. However, such robots are expensive and the number of them cannot meet the needs of patients. As a result, many universities and colleges in China's Mainland have launched research on this issue. This paper collects and collates the research literature, gives the mature and typical structure and control system design scheme in China's Mainland, and lists some representative research results. Finally, the rehabilitation effect of these lower limb rehabilitation robots is evaluated.展开更多
Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patien...Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs(arms) because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor function test(WMFT) was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action performance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(registration number: Chi CTR-OCH-12002238).展开更多
Objective: To explore the effects of the somatosensory interaction technology combined with virtual reality technology on upper limbs function and activities of daily living (ADL) in cerebrovascular disease patients. ...Objective: To explore the effects of the somatosensory interaction technology combined with virtual reality technology on upper limbs function and activities of daily living (ADL) in cerebrovascular disease patients. Methods: Form January, 2019 to December, 2019, 80 cerebrovascular disease patients were recruited, and had been divided into control group (n = 40) and observation group (n = 40), randomly. The control groups received conventional rehabilitation treatment, for 40 minutes per day, while observation group received conventional rehabilitation treatment, for 20 minutes per day, and virtual reality technology treatment, 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE) and modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to assess the motor function of the upper limbs and ADL before and after treatment. Results: Before treatment, the scores of WMFT, FMA-UE and MBI were no significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The scores improved in both groups after treatment (P < 0.01), and were higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The somatosensory interaction technology combined with virtual reality technology could facilitate to improve the upper limbs function and ADL in cerebrovascular disease patients.展开更多
The Kinect-based virtual reality system for the Xbox 360 enables users to control and interact with the game console without the need to touch a game controller,and provides rehabilitation training for stroke patients...The Kinect-based virtual reality system for the Xbox 360 enables users to control and interact with the game console without the need to touch a game controller,and provides rehabilitation training for stroke patients with lower limb dysfunctions.However,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In this study,18 healthy subjects and five patients after subacute stroke were included.The five patients were scanned using functional MRI prior to training,3 weeks after training and at a12-week follow-up,and then compared with healthy subjects.The Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Wolf Motor Function Test scores of the hemiplegic upper limbs of stroke patients were significantly increased 3 weeks after training and at the 12-week follow-up.Functional MRI results showed that contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex was activated after Kinect-based virtual reality training in the stroke patients compared with the healthy subjects.Contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex,the bilateral supplementary motor area and the ipsilateral cerebellum were also activated during hand-clenching in all 18 healthy subjects.Our findings indicate that Kinect-based virtual reality training could promote the recovery of upper limb motor function in subacute stroke patients,and brain reorganization by Kinect-based virtual reality training may be linked to the contralateral sensorimotor cortex.展开更多
BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) is mostly to be used to treat various diseases of motor disorders, whereas its effect on muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury needs further observation. OBJECTIVE: To o...BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) is mostly to be used to treat various diseases of motor disorders, whereas its effect on muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury needs further observation. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of BTX-A plus rehabilitative training on treating muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury. DESIGN: A randomized controlled observation. SETTINGS: Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty inpatients with brain injury and stroke were selected from the Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2001 to August 2006. They were all confirmed by CT and MRI, and had obvious increase of spastic muscle strength in upper limbs, their Ashworth grades were grade 2 or above. The patients were randomly divided into treatment group (n =30) and control group (n =30). METHODS: ① Patients in the treatment group undertook comprehensive rehabilitative trainings, and they were administrated with domestic BTX-A, which was provided by Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products, Ministry of Health (S10970037), and the muscles of flexion spasm were selected for upper limbs, 20-25 IU for each site. ② Patients in the treatment group were assessed before injection and at 1 and 2 weeks, 1 and 3 months after injection respectively, and those in the control group were assessed at corresponding time points. The recovery of muscle spasm was assessed by modified Ashworth scale (MAS, grade 0-Ⅳ; Grade 0 for without increase of muscle strength; Grade Ⅳ for rigidity at passive flexion and extension); The recovery of motor function of the upper limbs was evaluated with Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA, total score was 226 points, including 100 for exercise, 14 for balance, 24 for sense, 44 for joint motion, 44 for pain and 66 for upper limb); The ADL were evaluated with Barthel index, the total score was 100 points, 60 for mild dysfunction, 60-41 for moderate dysfunction, < 40 for severe dysfunction). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes of MAS grade, FMA scores and Barthel index before and after BTX-A injection. RESULTS: All the 60 patients with brain injury and stroke were involved in the analysis of results. ① FMA scores of upper limbs: The FMA score in the treatment group at 2 weeks after treatment was higher than that before treatment [(14.98±10.14), (13.10±9.28) points, P < 0.05], whereas there was no significant difference at corresponding time point in the control group. The FMA scores at 1 and 3 months in the treatment group [(23.36±10.69), (35.36±11.36) points] were higher than those in the control group [(20.55±10.22), (30.33±10.96) points, P < 0.01]. ② MAS grades of upper limbs: There were obviously fewer cases of grade Ⅲ in MAS at 2 weeks after treatment than before treatment in the treatment group (0, 9 cases, P < 0.05), whereas there was no obvious difference in the control group. There were obviously fewer cases of grade Ⅲ in MAS at 2 weeks and 1 month after treatment in the treatment group (0, 0 case) than the control group (5, 2 cases, P < 0.01). ③ Barthel index of upper limbs: The Barthel index at 2 weeks after treatment was higher than that before treatment in the treatment group [(30.36±22.25), (28.22±26.21) points, P < 0.05], whereas there was no significant difference in the control group. The Barthel indexes at 1 and 3 months after treatment in the treatment group were obviously higher than those in the control group [(20.55±10.22), (30.33±10.96) points, P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: BTX-A has obvious efficacy on decreasing muscle tension after stroke and brain injury, and relieving muscle spasm; Meanwhile, the combination with rehabilitative training can effectively ameliorate the motor function of upper limbs and ADL of the patients.展开更多
Studies have confirmed that low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can decrease the activity of cortical neurons, and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can increase the ex...Studies have confirmed that low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can decrease the activity of cortical neurons, and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can increase the excitability of cortical neurons. However, there are few studies concerning the use of different frequencies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the recovery of upper-limb motor function after cerebral infarction. We hypothesized that different frequencies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with cerebral infarction would produce different effects on the recovery of upper-limb motor function. This study enrolled 127 patients with upper-limb dysfunction during the subacute phase of cerebral infarction. These patients were randomly assigned to three groups. The low-frequency group comprised 42 patients who were treated with 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the contralateral hemisphere primary motor cortex(M1). The high-frequency group comprised 43 patients who were treated with 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on ipsilateral M1. Finally, the sham group comprised 42 patients who were treated with 10 Hz of false stimulation on ipsilateral M1. A total of 135 seconds of stimulation was applied in the sham group and high-frequency group. At 2 weeks after treatment, cortical latency of motor-evoked potentials and central motor conduction time were significantly lower compared with before treatment. Moreover, motor function scores were significantly improved. The above indices for the low- and high-frequency groups were significantly different compared with the sham group. However, there was no significant difference between the low- and high-frequency groups. The results show that low- and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can similarly improve upper-limb motor function in patients with cerebral infarction.展开更多
With the visual illusion of the mirror,Mirror Therapy,models the primary somatosensory cortex,cortical and muscular excitability,stimulating cortical reorganization and sensorimotor recovery.Studies have shown to be e...With the visual illusion of the mirror,Mirror Therapy,models the primary somatosensory cortex,cortical and muscular excitability,stimulating cortical reorganization and sensorimotor recovery.Studies have shown to be effective in improving motor function in short and medium term,in activities of daily living,in visuospatial neglect and in reducing pain,especially in patients with complex regional pain syndrome.Objective:To report the perception of Occupational Therapists regarding the application of Mirror Therapy in professional practice.Specifically,what factors lead to its application,what are the effects and benefits of the technique,what are its advantages and limitations.Results:In the perception of Occupational Therapists,the Mirror Therapy technique has the following benefits:significant decrease in pain,improved sensitivity and functionality of the upper limb,unblocking movements in the affected limb,decreased phantom pain;as negative aspects:difficulties in spatial/environmental control,patient's perceptual/cognitive skills,high level of concentration/attention,absence of scientific evidence in neurological conditions.Conclusion:For the interviewed Occupational Therapists,the Mirror Therapy is a safe and useful technique to be applied in your professional practice that has been showing positive results in the functional recovery of patients,however,it lacks studies that identify the appropriate time to start its application and the explanation of an intervention protocol.展开更多
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51975505 and U2037202)Science and Technology Project of Hebei Education Department(Grant No.SLRC2019039)+1 种基金Postgraduate Innovation Ability Cultivation Funded Project of Hebei Province(Grant No.CXZZBS2021135)Open Project of Hebei Industrial Manipulator Control and reliability Technology Innovation Center,Hebei University of Water Resources and Electric Engineering(Grant No.JXKF2102).
文摘Dyskinesia of the upper limbs caused by stroke,sports injury,or trafc accidents limits the ability to perform the activities of daily living.Besides the necessary medical treatment,correct and scientifc rehabilitation training for the injured joint is an important auxiliary means during the treatment of the efected upper limb.Conventional upperlimb rehabilitation robots have some disadvantages,such as a complex structure,poor compliance,high cost,and poor portability.In this study,a novel soft wearable upper limb rehabilitation robot(SWULRR)with reinforced soft pneumatic actuators(RSPAs)that can withstand high pressure and featuring excellent loading characteristics was developed.Driven by RSPAs,this portable SWULRR can perform rehabilitation training of the wrist and elbow joints.In this study,the kinematics of an SWULRR were analyzed,and the force and motion characteristics of RSPA were studied experimentally.The results provide a reference for the development and application of wearable upper limb rehabilitation robots.An experimental study on the rotation angle of the wrist and the pressure of the RSPA was conducted to test the efect of the rehabilitation training and verify the rationality of the theoretical model.The process of wrist rehabilitation training was tested and evaluated,indicating that SWULRR with RSPAs will enhance the fexibility,comfort,and safety of rehabilitation training.This work is expected to promote the development of wearable upper-limb rehabilitation robots based on modular reinforced soft pneumatic actuators.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Numbers:61563032,61963025Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province,Grant/Award Numbers:22CX8GA131,22YF7GA164。
文摘The authors investigate the trajectory tracking control problem of an upper limb reha-bilitation robot system with unknown dynamics.To address the system's uncertainties and improve the tracking accuracy of the rehabilitation robot,an adaptive neural full-state feedback control is proposed.The neural network is utilised to approximate the dy-namics that are not fully modelled and adapt to the interaction between the upper limb rehabilitation robot and the patient.By incorporating a high-gain observer,unmeasurable state information is integrated into the output feedback control.Taking into consider-ation the issue of joint position constraints during the actual rehabilitation training process,an adaptive neural full-state and output feedback control scheme with output constraint is further designed.From the perspective of safety in human–robot interaction during rehabilitation training,log-type barrier Lyapunov function is introduced in the output constraint controller to ensure that the output remains within the predefined constraint region.The stability of the closed-loop system is proved by Lyapunov stability theory.The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is validated by applying it to an upper limb rehabilitation robot through simulations.
文摘Objective:To analyze the effect of limb rehabilitation therapy combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy on muscle activity in patients with upper limb dysfunction after cerebral infarction(CI).Methods:320 patients with upper limb dysfunction after CI were selected,all of whom were treated in our hospital between June 2021 and June 2023.They were randomly grouped according to the lottery method into the control group(limb rehabilitation therapy,160 cases)and the intervention group(transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy+limb rehabilitation therapy,160 cases).The upper limb function scores,neuro-electrophysiological indicators,daily living ability scores,and quality of life scores of the two groups were compared.Results:Compared with the control group,upper limb function scores and daily living ability scores in the intervention group were higher after treatment,and the neuro-electrophysiological indicators of the intervention group were lower after treatment(P<0.05).Conclusion:Transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy combined with limb rehabilitation therapy has significant effects in patients with upper limb dysfunction after CI and is worthy of promotion and application.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant Number:52175006.
文摘This article introduces a cable-driven lower limb rehabilitation robot with movable distal anchor points(M-CDLR).The traditional cable-driven parallel robots(CDPRs)control the moving platform by changing the length of cables,M-CDLR can also adjust the position of the distal anchor point when the moving platform moves.The M-CDLR this article proposed has gait and single-leg training modes,which correspond to the plane and space motion of the moving platform,respectively.After introducing the system structure configuration,the generalized kinematics and dynamics of M-CDLR are established.The fully constrained CDPRs can provide more stable rehabilitation training than the under-constrained one but requires more cables.Therefore,a motion planning method for the movable distal anchor point of M-CDLR is proposed to realize the theoretically fully constrained with fewer cables.Then the expected trajectory of the moving platform is obtained from the motion capture experiment,and the motion planning of M-CDLR under two training modes is simulated.The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed motion planning method.This study serves as a basic theoretical study of the structure optimization and control strategy of M-CDLR.
基金supported by the"PHC Utiquc"program of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Higher Education,Research and Innovation and the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.P.n°19G1121the support of the Erasmus+KA 107 program.
文摘An assessment of the human motion repeatability for three selected Activities of Daily Living(ADL)is performed in this paper.These exercises were prescribed by an occupational therapist for the upper limb rehabilitation.The movement patterns of five participants,recorded using a Qualisys motion capture system,are compared based on the Analysis of Variance(ANOVA)method.This survey is motivated by the need to find the appropriate task workspace of a 6-degrees of freedom cable-driven parallel robot for upper limb rehabilitation,which is able to reproduce the three selected exercises.This comparison is performed to justify,whether or not,there is enough similarity between the participants’gestures,and so a single reference trajectory can be adopted as the robot-prescribed workspace.Using the results of the comparative study,an optimization process of the sought robot design is carried out,where the structure size and the cable tensions simultaneously minimized.
文摘<b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Background</span></b><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">: </span></b></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Active rehabilitation of the paralyzed limb is necessary for functional recovery from upper limb paralysis after stroke. In particular, the </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">amount of training is very important, and robot rehabilitation is useful. Howev</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">er, most conventional robots are expensive, large, and stationary. We have d</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">eveloped Rehabili-Mouse, a new tabletop rehabilitation robot that is compact and portable. The purpose of this study was to conduct paralyzed upper limb training for a patient after stroke using Rehabili-Mouse and to examine its effect.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Case</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">: </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">The patient was a 44-year-old man who had left-sided paresis after a right cerebral infarction, 3 months after onset. The training was carried out between February 2021 and March 2021 at Oyu Rehabilitation Hot</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;">spring Hospital. The training was 20 minutes of Rehabili-Mouse in addition to 40 minutes of usual occupational therapy and performed five times a week </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">for four weeks. Upper limb functions were evaluated before and after the t</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">raining, and two questionnaires of patient satisfaction with the device and the training were administered after the completion of the training. Upper limb function improved. The patient’s satisfaction with the device was poor, but his satisfaction with the training was good.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span style="font-family:;" "=""> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Discussion</span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><b><span style="font-family:Verdana;">: </span></b></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Training for the paralyzed upper limb after stroke using Rehabili-Mouse improved upper limb function and satisfied the trained patient. We plan to increase the number of cases and conduct further studies.</span></span></span></span></span>
文摘This paper addresses the design of a novel bionic robotic device for upper limb rehabilitation tasks at home.The main goal of the design process has been to obtain a rehabilitation device,which can be easily portable and can be managed remotely by a professional therapist.This allows to treat people also in regions that are not easily reachable with a significant cost reduction.Other potential benefits can be envisaged,for instance,in the possibility to keep social distancing while allowing rehabilitation treatments even during a pandemic spread.Specific attention has been devoted to design the main mechatronic components by developing specific kinematics and dynamics models.The design process includes the implementation of a specific control hardware and software.Preliminary experimental tests are reported to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed design solution.
基金Supported by National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2016YFE0105000)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.91848104)
文摘Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots integrate sensing, control, and other technologies and exhibit the characteristics of bionics, robotics, information and control science, medicine, and other interdisciplinary areas. In this review, the typical products and prototypes of lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robots are introduced and stateof-the-art techniques are analyzed and summarized. Because the goal of rehabilitation training is to recover patients’ sporting ability to the normal level, studying the human gait is the foundation of lower limb exoskeleton rehabilitation robot research. Therefore, this review critically evaluates research progress in human gait analysis and systematically summarizes developments in the mechanical design and control of lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots. From the performance of typical prototypes, it can be deduced that these robots can be connected to human limbs as wearable forms;further, it is possible to control robot movement at each joint to simulate normal gait and drive the patient’s limb to realize robot-assisted rehabilitation training. Therefore human–robot integration is one of the most important research directions, and in this context, rigid-flexible-soft hybrid structure design, customized personalized gait generation, and multimodal information fusion are three key technologies.
基金The research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52275002)the Open Laboratory Concept Verification Project of Zhongguancun National Demonstration Zone(Grant No.202005226).
文摘According to clinical studies,upper limb robotic suits are vital to reduce therapist fatigue and accelerate patient rehabilitation.Soft pneumatic actuators have drawn increasing attention for the development of wearable robots due to their low weight,flexibility,and high power-to-weight ratio.However,most of current actuators were designed for the flexion assistance of a specific joint,and that for joint extension requires further investigation.Furthermore,designing an actuator for diverse working scenarios remains a challenge.In this paper,we propose an all-fabric bi-directional actuator to assist the flexion and extension of the elbow,wrist,and fingers.A mathematical model is presented that predicts the deformation and guides the design of the proposed bi-directional actuator.To further validate the applicability and adaptability of the proposed actuator for different joints,we developed a 3-DOF soft robotic suit.Preliminary results show that the robotic suit can assist the motion of the elbow,wrist,and finger of the subject.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51505116)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(JZ2016HGTB0716)+2 种基金Natural and Science Foundation of Anhui Province(1508085SME221)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2016M590563)the Science and Technology Public Relations Project of Anhui Province(1604a0902181)
文摘This paper focuses on the problem of the adaptive robust control of a lower limbs rehabilitation robot(LLRR) that is a nonlinear system running under passive training mode. In reality, uncertainties including modeling error, initial condition deviation, friction force and other unknown external disturbances always exist in a LLRR system. So, it is necessary to consider the uncertainties in the unilateral man-machine dynamical model of the LLRR we described. In the dynamical model, uncertainties are(possibly fast) time-varying and bounded. However, the bounds are unknown. Based on the dynamical model, we design an adaptive robust control with an adaptive law that is leakagetype based and on the framework of Udwadia-Kalaba theory to compensate for the uncertainties and to realize tracking control of the LLRR. Furthermore, the effectiveness of designed control is shown with numerical simulations.
文摘Background: Robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 potential changes have importantly clinical value for evaluating the improvement in nerve function during the training as one of the objective targets. Methods: Sixty hemiplegic patients after stroke were randomly divided into a Lokomat group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The Lokomat group received Lokomat rehabilitation while the control group only received traditional rehabilitation. The gait parameters and the balance ability were evaluated by the K421GAITRite analysis system and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS);ERP components including N100, N200, P200 and P300 potential were evaluated by a muscle electric inducing potentiometer. Results: There were no significant differences in BBS and gait parameters (P > 0.05), as well as in amplitude and incubation periods (IP) (P > 0.05) between the two groups before training. After 8 weeks treatment, the total (48.88 ± 3.68), static (26.40 ± 3.14) and dynamic (22.64 ± 3.68) balance scores improved significantly;the pace (59.22 ± 4.67), stride length (19.04 ± 2.24), feet wide (98.02 ± 7.97) and walking velocity (84.86 ± 9.88) and IP of N200 and P300 shortened obviously and P300 amplitude increased significantly in robot group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This demonstrated that robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training in early stage could improve the limb function among hemiplegic patients caused by ischemic stroke. P300 may be considered as an indicator of neurological function improvement and effective robot-assisted lower limb rehabilitation training.
基金Supported by Science and Technology Department of Anhui Province Regional Innovation Projects and Qiushi Plan(JZ2015QSJH0245)
文摘To achieve human lower limbs rehabilitation training,the exoskeleton lower limbs rehabilitation robot is designed. Through respective motor driving, the retarding mechanism and telescopic adjusting mechanism, the function of human walking is accomplished. After the design of the mechanical structure, the finite element analysis is carried out on the important parts and the control system is achieved by Single Chip Microcomputer.
文摘The number of people with lower limb disabilities caused by stroke, traffic accidents and work-related injuries is increasing sharply every year in China's Mainland, and the corresponding number of rehabilitation therapists is obviously insufficient. To solve this problem, domestic large hospitals have introduced advanced lower limb rehabilitation robots from abroad. However, such robots are expensive and the number of them cannot meet the needs of patients. As a result, many universities and colleges in China's Mainland have launched research on this issue. This paper collects and collates the research literature, gives the mature and typical structure and control system design scheme in China's Mainland, and lists some representative research results. Finally, the rehabilitation effect of these lower limb rehabilitation robots is evaluated.
基金supported by the Sub-Project under National "Twelfth Five-Year" Plan for Science&Technology Support Project in China,No.2011BAI08B11the Research Project of China Rehabilitation Research Center,No.2014-3
文摘Virtual reality is nowadays used to facilitate motor recovery in stroke patients. Most virtual reality studies have involved chronic stroke patients; however, brain plasticity remains good in acute and subacute patients. Most virtual reality systems are only applicable to the proximal upper limbs(arms) because of the limitations of their capture systems. Nevertheless, the functional recovery of an affected hand is most difficult in the case of hemiparesis rehabilitation after a stroke. The recently developed Leap Motion controller can track the fine movements of both hands and fingers. Therefore, the present study explored the effects of a Leap Motion-based virtual reality system on subacute stroke. Twenty-six subacute stroke patients were assigned to an experimental group that received virtual reality training along with conventional occupational rehabilitation, and a control group that only received conventional rehabilitation. The Wolf motor function test(WMFT) was used to assess the motor function of the affected upper limb; functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the cortical activation. After four weeks of treatment, the motor functions of the affected upper limbs were significantly improved in all the patients, with the improvement in the experimental group being significantly better than in the control group. The action performance time in the WMFT significantly decreased in the experimental group. Furthermore, the activation intensity and the laterality index of the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex increased in both the experimental and control groups. These results confirmed that Leap Motion-based virtual reality training was a promising and feasible supplementary rehabilitation intervention, could facilitate the recovery of motor functions in subacute stroke patients. The study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(registration number: Chi CTR-OCH-12002238).
文摘Objective: To explore the effects of the somatosensory interaction technology combined with virtual reality technology on upper limbs function and activities of daily living (ADL) in cerebrovascular disease patients. Methods: Form January, 2019 to December, 2019, 80 cerebrovascular disease patients were recruited, and had been divided into control group (n = 40) and observation group (n = 40), randomly. The control groups received conventional rehabilitation treatment, for 40 minutes per day, while observation group received conventional rehabilitation treatment, for 20 minutes per day, and virtual reality technology treatment, 20 minutes per day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremities (FMA-UE) and modified Barthel index (MBI) were used to assess the motor function of the upper limbs and ADL before and after treatment. Results: Before treatment, the scores of WMFT, FMA-UE and MBI were no significant difference between two groups (P > 0.05). The scores improved in both groups after treatment (P < 0.01), and were higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The somatosensory interaction technology combined with virtual reality technology could facilitate to improve the upper limbs function and ADL in cerebrovascular disease patients.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundationof China,No.30973165
文摘The Kinect-based virtual reality system for the Xbox 360 enables users to control and interact with the game console without the need to touch a game controller,and provides rehabilitation training for stroke patients with lower limb dysfunctions.However,the underlying mechanism remains unclear.In this study,18 healthy subjects and five patients after subacute stroke were included.The five patients were scanned using functional MRI prior to training,3 weeks after training and at a12-week follow-up,and then compared with healthy subjects.The Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Wolf Motor Function Test scores of the hemiplegic upper limbs of stroke patients were significantly increased 3 weeks after training and at the 12-week follow-up.Functional MRI results showed that contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex was activated after Kinect-based virtual reality training in the stroke patients compared with the healthy subjects.Contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex,the bilateral supplementary motor area and the ipsilateral cerebellum were also activated during hand-clenching in all 18 healthy subjects.Our findings indicate that Kinect-based virtual reality training could promote the recovery of upper limb motor function in subacute stroke patients,and brain reorganization by Kinect-based virtual reality training may be linked to the contralateral sensorimotor cortex.
基金a grant from the Tackle Key Problem and Planning Projectin Science and Technology of Hebei Province,No.052761224
文摘BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) is mostly to be used to treat various diseases of motor disorders, whereas its effect on muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury needs further observation. OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of BTX-A plus rehabilitative training on treating muscle spasm after stroke and brain injury. DESIGN: A randomized controlled observation. SETTINGS: Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty inpatients with brain injury and stroke were selected from the Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery, the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2001 to August 2006. They were all confirmed by CT and MRI, and had obvious increase of spastic muscle strength in upper limbs, their Ashworth grades were grade 2 or above. The patients were randomly divided into treatment group (n =30) and control group (n =30). METHODS: ① Patients in the treatment group undertook comprehensive rehabilitative trainings, and they were administrated with domestic BTX-A, which was provided by Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products, Ministry of Health (S10970037), and the muscles of flexion spasm were selected for upper limbs, 20-25 IU for each site. ② Patients in the treatment group were assessed before injection and at 1 and 2 weeks, 1 and 3 months after injection respectively, and those in the control group were assessed at corresponding time points. The recovery of muscle spasm was assessed by modified Ashworth scale (MAS, grade 0-Ⅳ; Grade 0 for without increase of muscle strength; Grade Ⅳ for rigidity at passive flexion and extension); The recovery of motor function of the upper limbs was evaluated with Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA, total score was 226 points, including 100 for exercise, 14 for balance, 24 for sense, 44 for joint motion, 44 for pain and 66 for upper limb); The ADL were evaluated with Barthel index, the total score was 100 points, 60 for mild dysfunction, 60-41 for moderate dysfunction, < 40 for severe dysfunction). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes of MAS grade, FMA scores and Barthel index before and after BTX-A injection. RESULTS: All the 60 patients with brain injury and stroke were involved in the analysis of results. ① FMA scores of upper limbs: The FMA score in the treatment group at 2 weeks after treatment was higher than that before treatment [(14.98±10.14), (13.10±9.28) points, P < 0.05], whereas there was no significant difference at corresponding time point in the control group. The FMA scores at 1 and 3 months in the treatment group [(23.36±10.69), (35.36±11.36) points] were higher than those in the control group [(20.55±10.22), (30.33±10.96) points, P < 0.01]. ② MAS grades of upper limbs: There were obviously fewer cases of grade Ⅲ in MAS at 2 weeks after treatment than before treatment in the treatment group (0, 9 cases, P < 0.05), whereas there was no obvious difference in the control group. There were obviously fewer cases of grade Ⅲ in MAS at 2 weeks and 1 month after treatment in the treatment group (0, 0 case) than the control group (5, 2 cases, P < 0.01). ③ Barthel index of upper limbs: The Barthel index at 2 weeks after treatment was higher than that before treatment in the treatment group [(30.36±22.25), (28.22±26.21) points, P < 0.05], whereas there was no significant difference in the control group. The Barthel indexes at 1 and 3 months after treatment in the treatment group were obviously higher than those in the control group [(20.55±10.22), (30.33±10.96) points, P < 0.01]. CONCLUSION: BTX-A has obvious efficacy on decreasing muscle tension after stroke and brain injury, and relieving muscle spasm; Meanwhile, the combination with rehabilitative training can effectively ameliorate the motor function of upper limbs and ADL of the patients.
基金several colleague therapists of the Rehabilitation Medicine Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University of China for their support and selfless help
文摘Studies have confirmed that low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can decrease the activity of cortical neurons, and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can increase the excitability of cortical neurons. However, there are few studies concerning the use of different frequencies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the recovery of upper-limb motor function after cerebral infarction. We hypothesized that different frequencies of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with cerebral infarction would produce different effects on the recovery of upper-limb motor function. This study enrolled 127 patients with upper-limb dysfunction during the subacute phase of cerebral infarction. These patients were randomly assigned to three groups. The low-frequency group comprised 42 patients who were treated with 1 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the contralateral hemisphere primary motor cortex(M1). The high-frequency group comprised 43 patients who were treated with 10 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on ipsilateral M1. Finally, the sham group comprised 42 patients who were treated with 10 Hz of false stimulation on ipsilateral M1. A total of 135 seconds of stimulation was applied in the sham group and high-frequency group. At 2 weeks after treatment, cortical latency of motor-evoked potentials and central motor conduction time were significantly lower compared with before treatment. Moreover, motor function scores were significantly improved. The above indices for the low- and high-frequency groups were significantly different compared with the sham group. However, there was no significant difference between the low- and high-frequency groups. The results show that low- and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation can similarly improve upper-limb motor function in patients with cerebral infarction.
文摘With the visual illusion of the mirror,Mirror Therapy,models the primary somatosensory cortex,cortical and muscular excitability,stimulating cortical reorganization and sensorimotor recovery.Studies have shown to be effective in improving motor function in short and medium term,in activities of daily living,in visuospatial neglect and in reducing pain,especially in patients with complex regional pain syndrome.Objective:To report the perception of Occupational Therapists regarding the application of Mirror Therapy in professional practice.Specifically,what factors lead to its application,what are the effects and benefits of the technique,what are its advantages and limitations.Results:In the perception of Occupational Therapists,the Mirror Therapy technique has the following benefits:significant decrease in pain,improved sensitivity and functionality of the upper limb,unblocking movements in the affected limb,decreased phantom pain;as negative aspects:difficulties in spatial/environmental control,patient's perceptual/cognitive skills,high level of concentration/attention,absence of scientific evidence in neurological conditions.Conclusion:For the interviewed Occupational Therapists,the Mirror Therapy is a safe and useful technique to be applied in your professional practice that has been showing positive results in the functional recovery of patients,however,it lacks studies that identify the appropriate time to start its application and the explanation of an intervention protocol.
