Robotic rehabilitation training with a newly developed upper limb single-joint hybrid assistive limb (HAL-SJ) for an adult with birth palsy

Abstract

The birth palsy is a peripheral nerve palsy resulting in disturbance in activities of daily living (ADL), and it occurs the co-contracture due to nerve misdirection phenomenon, such as co-contracture of between the biceps and deltoid, biceps and triceps This case study aimed to report the effectiveness and safety of using the newly developed upper limb single-joint Hybrid Assistive Limb (upper limb HAL-SJ) for an adult with birth palsy. A 40-year-old man sustained the both birth palsy when he was born He has both brachial plexus palsy (upper type, C5, 6, 7) with co-contracture between the deltoid and biceps He did not undergo any operations The rehabilitation training with left elbow exercise using the upper limb HAL-SJ was implemented for 12 sessions 3 every week as an inpatient At baseline and after the upper limb HAL-SJ training, active flexion ROM of the elbow joint, elbow flexion 10-second testing, and dynamometric testing using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD) for the elbow flexion were evaluated without use of the upper limb HAL-SJ. The patient completed all 12 sessions of training using the upper limb HAL-SJ No serious adverse events were observed during the upper limb HAL-SJ training Improvements in active flexion ROM of the elbow joint, elbow flexion 10-second testing, and HHD for the elbow flexion were observed after 12 sessions using the upper limb HAL-SJ. The rehabilitation training with the upper limb HAL-SJ could be performed safely and effectively for an adult with birth palsy.