Improve Hand Function Research Articles

Feasibility and usability of a virtual-reality-based sensorimotor activation apparatus for carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

This study aimed to assess the usability of a virtual reality-assisted sensorimotor activation (VRSMA) apparatus for individual digit rehabilitation. The study had two main objectives: Firstly, to collect preliminary data on the expectations and preferences of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) regarding virtual reality (VR) and an apparatus-assisted therapy for their affected digits. Secondly, to evaluate the usability of the VRSMA apparatus that was developed. The VRSMA system consists of an apparatus that provides sensory and motor stimulation via a vibratory motor and pressure sensor attached to a button, and a virtual reality-based visual cue provided by texts overlaid on top of a 3D model of a hand. The study involved 10 CTS patients who completed five blocks of VRSMA with their affected hand, with each block corresponding to the five digits. The patients were asked to complete a user expectations questionnaire before experiencing the VRSMA, and a user evaluation questionnaire after completing the VRSMA. Expectations for VRSMA were obtained from the questionnaire results using a House of Quality (HoQ) analysis. In the survey for expectations, participants rated certain attributes as important for a rehabilitation device for CTS, with mean ratings above 4 for attributes such as ease of use, ease of understanding, motivation, and improvement of hand function based on clinical evidence. The level of immersion and an interesting rehabilitation regime received lower ratings, with mean ratings above 3.5. The survey evaluating VRSMA showed that the current prototype was overall satisfactory with a mean rating of 3.9 out of 5. Based on the HoQ matrix, the highest priority for development of the VRSMA was to enhance device comfort and usage time. This was followed by the need to perform more clinical studies to provide evidence of the efficacy of the VRSMA. Other technical characteristics, such as VRSMA content and device reliability, had lower priority scores. The current study presents a potential for an individual digit sensorimotor rehabilitation device that is well-liked by CTS patients.

Thumb Carpometacarpal Joint Denervation for Early Osteoarthritis: An Overview of the Literature and a Pilot Study on Pain Reduction and Patient Satisfaction

Abstract Background The treatment of patients with osteoarthritis of the first carpometacarpal joint (CMC-I) aims at pain reduction to improve hand function and quality of life. The CMC-I denervation procedure is relatively new and seems appealing, as it is minimally invasive and has few or no disadvantages. To date, however, little research has been done on the results of a CMC-I denervation. The aim of this study was to investigate whether denervation provides pain reduction in patients with early CMC-I osteoarthritis. Methods A literature search was done using PubMed. Studies were excluded if access to full text was not available, if the articles were written in other languages than Dutch or English, and if preoperative testing, follow-up testing, or reporting were incomplete. Studies were included if patients were older than 18 years, had primary CMC-I osteoarthritis with no other wrist pathology, and had received conservative treatment without sustained benefit. The Critical Appraisal Tools of the Joanna Briggs Institute were used for critical appraisal.Clinical data was gathered retrospectively from the medical records to identify patients who underwent CMC-I denervation in The Hand Clinic, Amsterdam. The data of 20 patients were analyzed. Pre- and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores on pain, patient satisfaction, and complications were evaluated. Patients older than 18 years with primary CMC-I osteoarthritis stage I and II and no other wrist pathology, in whom conservative treatment failed were included in the study. Patients with CMC-I osteoarthritis stage III and IV were excluded. Results All 17 search results were screened for full text access, after which 6 case series, 4 systematic reviews, 1 cohort study, 1 comment, and 1 scoping review was included. All but one study showed pain reduction after surgery. In half of the studies, this difference was statistically significant. The average patient satisfaction in these studies was 84.1% and the complication rate was 13.4%.A total of 20 patients were included between 2019 and 2022, with a mean preoperative VAS for pain at rest of 48.2 ± 29.9. After surgery, this decreased to 35.8 ± 34.1. This difference was not statistically significant. The mean VAS for pain during use before denervation was 79 ± 18.4 and this decreased to 49.8 ± 34.2 postoperatively. This difference did appear to be statistically significant. The average patient satisfaction was 60%, and the complication rate was 10%. Conclusion This study provides a literature overview and a pilot study on pain reduction, patient satisfaction, and complications after denervation of the CMC-I joint in patients with early osteoarthritis. Our retrospective case series roughly mirrored the average results found in the literature. There was a statistically significant decrease in pain during use postoperatively. There was no statistically significant difference in pain at rest before and after surgery. The complications were mild and the complication rate was low; however, the average patient satisfaction rate was lower as compared to that reported in the literature.

Delayed Surgical Treatment in Patients with Chronic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Is Still Effective in the Improvement of Hand Function.

Background and Objectives: Severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common compression neuropathy in the upper extremities treated conservatively; later, when advanced, CTS is treated mostly surgically. The most prevalent symptoms comprise numbness, as well as sensation loss in the thumb, index, and middle finger, and thenar muscle strength loss, resulting in impaired daily functioning for patients. Data on the results of CTS treatment in patients with delayed surgical intervention are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the postoperative results of chronic carpal tunnel syndrome treatment in patients with symptoms lasting for at least 5 years. Materials and Methods: A total of 86 patients (69 females, 17 males) with a mean age of 58 years reporting symptoms of CTS for at least 5 years (mean: 8.5 years) were prospectively studied. The average follow-up time was 33 months. All patients underwent the surgical open decompression of the median nerve at the wrist. A preoperative observation was composed of an interview and a clinical examination. The subjects completed the DASH (the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand), PRWE (Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation), and self-report questionnaires. Global grip strength, sensory discrimination, characteristic symptoms of CTS, and thenar muscle atrophy were examined. Postoperatively, clinical and functional examinations were repeated, and patients expressed their opinions by completing a BCTQ (Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire). Results: We found improvements in daily activities and hand function postoperatively. Overall, 88% of patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery. DASH scores decreased after surgery from 44.82 to 14.12 at p < 0.001. PRWE questionnaire scores decreased from 53.34 to 15.19 at p < 0.001. The mean score of the BCTQ on the scale regarding the severity of symptoms was 1.48 and 1.62 on the scale regarding function after surgery. No significant differences were found in the scores between the male and female groups or between age groups (p > 0.05). A significant increase in global grip strength from 16.61 kg to 21.91 kg was observed postoperatively at p < 0.001. No significant difference was detected in the measurement of sensory discrimination (6.02 vs. 5.44). In most of the examined patients, night numbness and wrist pain subsided after surgery at p < 0.001. Thenar muscle atrophy diminished after surgery at p < 0.001. Conclusions: Most patients were satisfied with the results of CTS surgery regarding the open decompression of the median nerve even after 5 years of ineffective conservative treatment. Significant improvement of the hand function was confirmed in the functional studies.

RETRACTED: A Newly-Designed Wearable Robotic Hand Exoskeleton Controlled by EMG Signals and ROS Embedded Systems

One of the most difficult parts of stroke therapy is hand mobility recovery. Indeed, stroke is a serious medical disorder that can seriously impair hand and locomotor movement. To improve hand function in stroke patients, new medical technologies, such as various wearable devices and rehabilitation therapies, are being developed. In this study, a new design of electromyography (EMG)-controlled 3D-printed hand exoskeleton is presented. The exoskeleton was created to help stroke victims with their gripping abilities. Computer-aided design software was used to create the device’s 3D architecture, which was then printed using a polylactic acid filament. For online classifications, the performance of two classifiers—the support vector machine (SVM) and the K-near neighbor (KNN)—was compared. The Robot Operating System (ROS) connects all the various system nodes and generates the decision for the hand exoskeleton. The selected classifiers had high accuracy, reaching up to 98% for online classification performed with healthy subjects. These findings imply that the new wearable exoskeleton, which could be controlled in accordance with the subjects’ motion intentions, could aid in hand rehabilitation for a wider motion range and greater dexterity.

A step toward restoring hand functions in patients with multiple sclerosis-a study protocol.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation, demyelination of axons, and oligodendrocyte loss in the central nervous system. This leads to neurological dysfunction, including hand impairment, which is prevalent among patients with MS. However, hand impairment is the least targeted area for neurorehabilitation studies. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach to improve hand functions compared to current strategies. Studies have shown that learning new skills in the motor cortex (M1) can trigger the production of oligodendrocytes and myelin, which is a critical mechanism for neuroplasticity. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used to enhance motor learning and function in human subjects. However, tDCS induces non-specific effects, and concurrent behavioral training has been found to optimize its benefits. Recent research indicates that applying tDCS during motor learning can have priming effects on the long-term potentiation mechanism and prolong the effects of motor training in health and disease. Therefore, this study aims to assess whether applying repeated tDCS during the learning of a new motor skill in M1 can be more effective in improving hand functions in patients with MS than current neurorehabilitation strategies. If this approach proves successful in improving hand functions in patients with MS, it could be adopted as a new approach to restore hand functions. Additionally, if the application of tDCS demonstrates an accumulative effect in improving hand functions in patients with MS, it could provide an adjunct intervention during rehabilitation for these patients. This study will contribute to the growing body of literature on the use of tDCS in neurorehabilitation and could have a significant impact on the quality of life of patients with MS.

Personalized and Safe Soft Glove for Rehabilitation Training

Traditional hand rehabilitation devices present a challenge in providing personalized training that can lead to finger movements exceeding the safe range, resulting in secondary injuries. To address this issue, we introduce a soft rehabilitation training glove with the function of safety and personalization, which can allow patients to select training modes based on rehabilitation and provide real-time monitoring, as well as feedback on finger movement data. The inner glove is equipped with bending sensors to access the maximum/minimum angle of finger movement and to provide data for the safety of rehabilitation training. The outer glove contains flexible drivers, which can drive fingers for different modes of rehabilitation training. As a result, the rehabilitation glove can drive five fingers to achieve maximum extension/flexion angles of 15.65°/85.97°, 15.34°/89.53°, 16.78°/94.27°, 15.59°/88.82°, and 16.73°/88.65°, from thumb to little finger, respectively, and the rehabilitation training frequency can reach six times per minute. The safety evaluation result indicated an error within ±6.5° of the target-motion threshold. The reliability assessment yielded a high-intra-class correlation coefficient value (0.7763–0.9996). Hence, the rehabilitation glove can achieve targeted improvement in hand function while ensuring safety.

P.146 Anterior spinal cord herniation following an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: case report

Background: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and corpectomy is one of the most common spinal operations performed worldwide to treat herniated discs causing anterior spinal cord compression , cervical spondylosis, fractures, and neoplasms, with the routine complications. There have been just a few known cases of anterior spinal cord herniation following multilevel anterior ACDF and corpectomy fusion cases. Methods: A 53-year-old male initially presented with a 3 year’s duration of increasing myelopathy with history of Anterior cervical surgery C3 -5. About 10 years prior he was not able to walk had difficulty to use his hand. (he have nice images on MRI scan of typical spinal herniation)Results: Patient was initially treated medically with utilizing analgesia and physiotherapy and gradually deteriorated over two year. Patient revision surgery and release of spinal cord with intra-operative durotomy and release of the spinal cord. He had only mild improvement in hand function, No change in legs function post operatively. Conclusions: The occurrence of spinal cord herniation through a prior ACDF or Corpectomy defect must be considered when patients present with recurrent myelopathy following anterior cervical surgery. Early investigation and early release surgery can improve the outcome for these group of patients

Small Joint Arthroplasty of the Hand: An Update on Indications, Outcomes, and Complications.

Small joint arthroplasty of the hand is a well-established surgery that can preserve motion and provide reliable pain relief, joint preservation, and improvement in hand function. Soft-tissue integrity is critical in patient and implant selection to avoid postoperative joint instability. Although instability is more common in nonconstrained implants such as pyrocarbon, silicone arthroplasty is associated with high rates of late implant fracture and failure with resultant recurrent deformity and instability. Additional complications such as stiffness, extension lag, and intraoperative fractures may be mitigated by alterations in surgical technique and postoperative rehabilitation protocols. Revision arthroplasty with soft-tissue stabilization procedures have reliable outcomes and can avoid conversion to arthrodesis. This article will review the surgical indications, outcomes of small joint arthroplasty in the hand, and common complications and their management.

Effects of non-pharmacological therapies on hand function and the ability to perform daily activities in people with systemic sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease. Individuals with a diagnosis of SSc describe repercussions on their activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living that affect their everyday functional capacity. The objective of this systematic review was to explore the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions to improve hand function and the ability to perform activities of daily living. A systematic review was conducted on the Cochrane Library, Medline/PubMed, OTseeker, PEDro, Scopus, Web of Science up to September 10, 2022. Inclusion criteria were defined following PICOS recommendations (Populations, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome measures). Methodological quality was assessed with the Downs and Black Scale and risk of bias was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). A meta-analysis of each outcome was performed. A total of 8 studies met the inclusion criteria, providing data on 487 individuals with SSc. The non-pharmacological intervention applied the most was exercise. The effects of non-pharmacological interventions were better than those of the waiting list or no treatment control conditions in both outcomes - hand function (mean difference [MD] = -6.98; 95% CI [-11.45, - 2.50], P = 0.002, I2 = 0%) and performance of daily activities (MD = -0.19; 95% CI [-0.33, - 0.04], P = 0.01, I2 = 0%). Moderate risk of bias was found in the majority of the studies included. There is emerging evidence that non-pharmacological interventions can improve hand function and performance of daily activities in individuals with a diagnosis of SSc. Given the moderate risk of bias found in the studies included, the results should be considered with caution.

Rehabilitation interventions after hand burn injury in adults: A systematic review

The aim of this review was to summarise the current evidence regarding the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in improving hand function, range of motion (ROM), hand strength, scar outcome, return to work, level of impairment/disability, level of burn knowledge and decreasing edema following hand burns in adult burn survivors. This review provides evidence-based support for the use of rehabilitation interventions for burn rehabilitation professionals. The following data sources were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL from their inception up to February 2021, reference lists from all the included full-text articles were screened for additional relevant publications and monthly Google Scholar searches until December 23rd 2021 to make sure all new pertinent published articles after February 2021 would be included.Thirty-five studies were included in this review including 14 RCTs. Most of the included studies were Level 4 (46%; 16/35) and Level 2 (40%; 14/35) evidence. Only four studies were classified as Level 3 (14%; 5/35) evidence and none were considered Level 1. Most studies received a score of 5-9 (54%; 19/35) (Moderate quality). Fourteen studies received a score of ≥10 (40%; 14/35) (High quality) and only 2 studies received a score of<5 (6%; 2/35) (Low quality). Articles were categorized according to the primary outcome targeted by the intervention. Clinical recommendations on higher-level evidence interventions are presented. This review supports the clinical practice of the following interventions: 1) The use of adhesive compression wraps for patients who have increased edema to increase hand function and ROM; 2) The use of compression (adhesive compressive wrap, compression bandage or intermittent compression pump) to decrease hand edema following burn injury; 3) Participating in general rehabilitation to increase hand function and patient perceived level of disability; 4) The use of an orthosis to increase ROM and a dynamic MCP orthosis to increase hand function; 5) If available, incorporate the use of VR based rehabilitation to increase hand function and hand strength; 6) The use of paraffin to increase hand PROM; 7) The use of gels to reduce hand scar thickness; 8) The use of an education component in rehabilitation to increase the level of burn knowledge. The limitations of this study are also discussed. Further research with robust methodology is needed to investigate the potential benefits of treatment interventions included in this review.

Combined effect of Brunnstrom's hand rehabilitation and functional electrical stimulation for improving hand function in patients with chronic stroke: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMotor recovery of the upper extremity is one of the most common challenging outcomes after stroke. ObjectiveTo find out the combined effects of Brunnstrom hand rehabilitation (BHR) and functional electrical stimulation for improving hand functions in patients with chronic stroke. Study designRandomized controlled trial. Method25 participants, both male (n = 11) and female (n = 14), age group between 40 and 70 years were randomly divided into control group (n = 12) and experimental group (n = 13). The treatment protocol was continued 5 days per week, for 4 weeks. The experimental group received Brunnstrom hand training and functional electrical stimulation (FES) along with conventional physiotherapy. The control group received only conventional physiotherapy. Participants were evaluated at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention. Outcome measures: Fugl Meyer Assessment scale-upper extremity, Modified Ashworth scale, Handheld Dynamometer, and Jabsen Taylor Hand Function Test. Paired t-test was used to compare within-group variables and an independent t-test was used for between-group comparisons. P-value was set as 0.05 to minimize type-1 error. ResultsStatistically significant difference was obtained in favor of the experimental group undergoing FMA (p < .001), MAS (p = .004), JTHF (p = .018), and HHD (p < .001) in between-group analysis. However, both groups showed significant improvement [experimental group; FMA-UE (p < .001), MAS (p < .001); JTHF (p < .001), and HHD (p < .001), and control group; FMA-UE (p < .001), MAS (p < .001), JTHF (p < .001) and HHD (p < .001)] in within-group analysis at post-intervention. ConclusionBrunnstrom hand rehabilitation and FES in combination were found to be more effective in improving hand function than conventional physiotherapy treatment. Clinical trial registrationURL: http://www.ctri.nic.in. No: CTRI/2019/06/019,905.

Responsiveness of the patient-specific Canadian occupational performance measure and a fixed-items activity limitations measure in patients with dupuytren disease

BackgroundPatients with Dupuytren disease experience various activity limitations. Treatment aims to reduce finger joint contractures to improve hand function and activity performance. For assessing improvement different patient-centered measures have been used. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was developed as an interview-based outcome measure to detect changes over time in patients’ perception of their performance and satisfaction in self-identified activity issues. The 11-item disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (QuickDASH) scale consists of fixed items that ask patients to rate the difficulty in performing specific daily activities. Few studies have compared the responsiveness of these two types of patient-reported measures in Dupuytren disease.Patients and methodsWe included 30 patients with Dupuytren disease enrolled in a prospective cohort study of collagenase injection. We used the COPM (score range 1–10), the QuickDASH (score range 0-100) and measurement of finger joint contracture before and 5 weeks after treatment.ResultsUsing the COPM the patients identified 107 activity problems (55 in self-care, 19 in productivity and 33 in leisure). The two most common activity problems were to wash self (21 patients) and to don gloves (19 patients). A clinically important improvement with 3 points or greater from baseline to 5 weeks was seen for performance in 77 activities (72%). The median COPM performance score improved from 4.4 at baseline to 9.0 at 5 weeks and the median QuickDASH score improved from 13.6 to 2.5. Responsiveness (Cohen’s d) for the COPM performance was 2.6 (95% CI 1.9–3.3) and for the QuickDASH 0.6 (95% CI 0.1–1.1).ConclusionThe COPM had about 4-fold larger responsiveness than the QuickDASH, which supports use of an individualized measure when assessing treatment effects in Dupuytren disease.

Splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Splinting for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Clinical study of early rehabilitation training combined with negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of deep partial-thickness hand burns.

This study aims to explore the clinical effect of early rehabilitation training combined with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) for treating deep partial-thickness hand burns. Twenty patients with deep partial-thickness hand burns were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 10) and a control group (n = 10). In the experimental group, early rehabilitation training combined with NPWT was performed, including the proper sealing of the negative pressure device, intraoperative plastic brace, early postoperative exercise therapy during negative pressure treatment, and intraoperative and postoperative body positioning. Routine NPWT was conducted in the control group. Both groups received 4 weeks of rehabilitation after wounds healed by NPWT with or without skin grafts. Hand function was evaluated after wound healing and 4 weeks after rehabilitation, including hand joint total active motion (TAM) and the brief Michigan Hand Questionnaire (bMHQ). Twenty patients were involved in this study, including 16 men and 4 women, aged 18-70 years, and the hand burn area ranged from 0.5% to 2% of the total body surface area (TBSA). There was no significant difference in TAM and bMHQ scores between the two groups after negative pressure removal. After 4 weeks of rehabilitation training, the TAM scores and bMHQ scores were significantly improved in both groups (p < 0.05); among them, those of the experimental group were both significantly better than those of the control group (p < 0.05). The application of early rehabilitation training combined with NPWT to treat deep partial-thickness hand burns can effectively improve hand function.

Movement-specific keyboard playing for hand function in adolescents and young adults with acquired brain injury.

Patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) suffer from deficits in fine motor function in hands which affect independent self-care function in daily life. This study aimed to examine the effects of movement-specific keyboard playing for improved hand function in adolescents and young adults with ABI. A total of 23 patients with ABI participated in this study. Twelve were assigned to the intervention group and eleven to the control group. The intervention group engaged in movement-specific keyboard playing three to four times a week for 3 weeks in addition to standard care, while the control group received only standard care. The results of a mixed model of repeated measures ANOVA showed that the time effects were significant in the functional independence measure, key-pressing force, and most of the hand function tests measured. In terms of the interaction effect between group and time, a significant effect was found only in the checker-stacking task as a subtest of the Jebsen-Talyor Hand Function Test. These results indicate that the specified movements required to play the keyboard may involve more precise and dexterous manipulation with hands and fingers. These results also suggest that movement-specific keyboard playing has potential in optimizing the intervention effect of keyboard playing while maximizing the benefits of music for motivating young patients with ABI.

Effects of a single session action observation training on hand function in healthy young adults: a randomised controlled assessor and participants-blinded trial

Purpose The aim was to investigate the effects of a single session action observation training (AOT) on hand function and evaluate whether observing self-actions would be more effective than observing someone else. Materials and Methods A total of 60 right-handed healthy young adults, (32 female, 28 males and the mean age was 21.32 ± 1.07 years) were included in the study. The participants were randomly divided into five groups, self-action observation (sAO), observation of a third person (AO), action practice (AP), non-action observation (nAO), and control. A single session was performed for all participants. The primary outcome was the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT) assessed by a masked assessor. Results Significant differences were observed between the sAO and control group in total left side JTHFT performance (p < 0.001). Additionally, there were significant differences between the AO and control group (p < 0.001), and AP and nAO group (p = 0.003) and AP and control group (p < 0.001) in total JTHFT performance change of the left side. Significant differences were found between the sAO and nAO (p = 0.001) and control groups (p < 0.001) in dominant side total JTHFT performance change. No difference between sAO and AP groups were observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion It was observed that a single session of action observation training improved hand function in healthy adults. The better performance achieved in the group watching the self-video may suggest that watching the self-image activates more mirror neurons.

Physiotherapy Perspective in the Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injury in a Patient with Polytrauma: A Case Report Emphasising an Early Approach

Traumatic peripheral nerve damage from Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) can cause severe impairment and loss of function in the upper and lower limbs. A significant portion of acute peripheral nerve injuries affects the upper limb, particularly the brachial plexus. The treatment for complete brachial plexus injury may involve surgery and intensive physiotherapy to help the nerves regenerate and reinnervate the muscles. A 17-year-old male was referred to the Neurology department from a primary healthcare centre after being involved in RTA that resulted in a fall on the right-side. Investigatory findings revealed a head injury with Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH), fractures of the right tibia shaft, right clavicle lateral shaft, and right lower limb. Following surgery, the patient experienced difficulty in performing movements with the right upper limb, along with pain and tingling sensations. As a result, the patient was referred to physiotherapy. During physiotherapy, the patient received sensory re-education sessions lasting 15-20 minutes each, as well as bilateral training sessions lasting 20 minutes each, for a total of four weeks. Over the course of the treatment, the patient demonstrated overall improvement in hand function, including proper grasp and opposition. This improvement was reflected in the brachial assessment tool, Upper Extremity (UE) functional index, and functional independence measure. These positive outcomes underscore the importance of early neuro-physiotherapeutic rehabilitation for patients with brachial plexus injuries, as it can significantly enhance their overall well-being and quality of life.

Effect of Kinesiotaping for Hand Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Cerebral palsy is the most common chronic disability. Lesions or defects in the immature braincause sensori motor impairment, which compromise the development of upper limb function in cerebral palsy.Restricted movement of the upper limbs may cause limitation in the functions and performance of ADL whichaffect their quality of life. Recent studies have proven that kinesiotape plays an important role in the managementof hand functional activity.Design: Randomized controlled trail was conducted on 28 cerebral palsy children with impaired hand functionwere included in the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants were randomly divided into2 groups, group a. kinesiotaping with functional hand activities and group b. sham taping (Kinesiotape withouttension) along with functional hand activities. Control group received sham tape (kinesiotape without tension).Outcomes were measured using quality of upper extremity skill test (QUEST) and Upper limb physician ratingscale (ULPRS).Conclusion: The study proved that the short term effect of kinesiotaping application along with functional handactivities has no significant effect on improving hand function in children with cerebral palsy.

Comparison of the effect of Kinesio Taping adjunctively with hand exercise on improving hand function in early rheumatoid arthritis

Comparison of the effect of Kinesio Taping adjunctively with hand exercise on improving hand function in early rheumatoid arthritis

Design and Performance Analysis of a Bioelectronic Controlled Hybrid Serial-Parallel Wrist Exoskeleton.

Wrist exoskeletons are increasingly being used in the rehabilitation of stroke and hand dysfunction because of its ability to assist patients in high intensity, repetitive, targeted and interactive rehabilitation training. However, the existing wrist exoskeletons cannot effectively replace the work of therapist and improve hand function, mainly because the existing exoskeletons cannot assist patients to perform natural hand movement covering the entire physiological motor space (PMS). Here, we present a bioelectronic controlled hybrid serial-parallel wrist exoskeleton HrWr-ExoSkeleton (HrWE) which is based on the PMS design guidance, the gear set can carry out forearm pronation/supination (P/S) and the 2-DoF parallel configuration fixed on the gear set can carry out wrist flexion/extension (F/E) and radial/ulnar deviation (R/U). This special configuration not only provides enough range of motion (RoM) for rehabilitation training (85F/85E, 55R/55U, and 90P/90S), but also makes it easier to provide the interface for finger exoskeletons and be adapted to upper limb exoskeletons. In addition, to further improve the rehabilitation effect, we propose a HrWE-assisted active rehabilitation training platform based on surface electromyography signals.