3D-printed shoulder and elbow exercise device for stroke patients- A pilot study

Abstract

Upper limb movements are essential in everyday life; hand paralysis caused by post-stroke affects the regular lives of patients. To regain hand mobility and motor function, we must perform repetitive exercises. Nowadays, rehabilitation devices are essential to help post-stroke victims exercise and recover from paralysis more quickly. The proposed research developed a 3D-printed portable rehabilitative device for elbow and shoulder movements. This device assists patients with hand impairments in performing repetitive elbow flexion and internal/external rotation of the shoulder. Twenty post-stroke patients (each group of 10) were randomly assigned to the traditional training group or rehabilitation device training group. This study compared the outcomes of the two groups before and after eight weeks of training. Following the therapy, the patient's performance was evaluated using standard clinical tests such as the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Active Range of Motion (AROM) of the elbow and shoulder. The results of the RDT (Rehabilitation Device Training) group were greater than those of the TT (Traditional Training) group, and the p values (p ​< ​0.05) show a significant improvement. The proposed device is a simple, low-cost, portable structure that improves muscular strength and mobility in the shoulder and elbow.