The Use of Robotics for NeuroRehabilitation
Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines 2010 for
The Management of Stroke Rehabilitation Upper Extremity
BACKGROUND:
“Advances in robotics and an increased understanding of the latent neurologic potential for stroke recovery led to our initiation of this multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, called the Veterans Affairs (VA) Robotic-Assisted Upper-Limb Neurorehabilitation in Stroke Patients study, to determine whether a rehabilitation protocol using the MIT–Manus robotic system (Interactive Motion Technologies), as compared with a program based on conventional rehabilitative techniques or usual care, could improve functioning and quality of life of stroke survivors with long-term upper-limb deficits.”
(Lo. A.C., et.al “Robot-Assisted Therapy for Long-Term Upper Limb Impairment after Stroke,”
New England Journal of Medicine, 362:1772, May 13, 2010)
RECOMMENDATION:
Robot-assisted movement therapy as an adjunct to conventional therapy in patients with deficits in arm function to improve motor skill at the joints trained.
