Our long term objectives are to understand the mechanisms of motor impairment following neurologic injury and to develop interventions to improve motor recovery. A series of complementary, overlapping clinical trials and development activities will validate and optimize the use of robot-assisted upper limb therapy for neuro rehabilitation. We have developed a robotic system that assists or resists elbow and shoulder movements in three dimensional space. In addition to unilateral exercise modes, a novel bimanual mode enables hemiparetic subjects to practice mirror image upper limb exercises.
Randomized controlled clinical trial of the Mirror Image Movement Enabler (MIME) robotic device for shoulder and elbow neurorehabilitation in subacute stroke patients. MIME incorporates a PUMA 560 robot that applies forces to the paretic limb during unilateral and bilateral movements in three dimensions. Robot-assisted treatment (bilateral, unilateral, and combined bilateral and unilateral) was compared with conventional therapy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
60
1 hour/day of mechanically-assisted upper limb therapy
1 hour/day of upper limb therapy that includes exposure to, but no manipulation by the robot
Central Texas Veterans Health Care System
Temple, Texas, United States
Fugl-Meyer score
Time frame: end of training, 6-month follow-up
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