The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether using both brain and muscle signals to control a wrist-hand rehabilitation robot can improve recovery in people with chronic stroke. A total of 48 participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Both groups will receive 20 sessions of wrist-hand rehabilitation using an exoneuromusculoskeleton rehabilitation robot. In the closed-loop sensorimotor integrated group, the system will use information from both brain-muscle coordination and muscle activity to recognize the participant's movement intention and provide electrical stimulation and robotic assistance. In the electromyography-driven group, the system will use muscle activity alone to control the electrical stimulation and robotic assistance. The main questions this study aims to answer are: Does control using both brain and muscle signals improve wrist and hand motor function more than control using muscle signals alone? Does this approach produce greater changes in coordination between the brain and muscles? Participants will complete motor-function and brain-muscle assessments before training, immediately after the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after training.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
48
The exoneuromusculoskeleton (ENMS) provides neuromuscular electrical stimulation and robotic assistance for wrist-hand rehabilitation. In the CSMI-controlled intervention, corticomuscular coherence and electromyographic signals are jointly used to identify voluntary movement intention and trigger assistance. Participants will receive 20 training sessions.
The exoneuromusculoskeleton (ENMS) provides neuromuscular electrical stimulation and robotic assistance for wrist-hand rehabilitation. In the EMG-driven intervention, electromyographic activity alone is used to identify voluntary movement intention and trigger assistance. Participants will receive 20 training sessions.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong
RECRUITINGFugl-Meyer Assessment Wrist/Hand Subscale (FMA-WH) Score
The Fugl-Meyer Assessment Wrist and Hand Subscore (FMA-WH) evaluates motor impairment of the paretic wrist and hand after stroke. The score ranges from 0 to 24, including a maximum of 10 points for wrist function and 14 points for hand function. Higher scores indicate better wrist-hand motor function.
Time frame: At three pre-training assessments conducted over 2 weeks, immediately after completion of the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after completion of training
Finger Spasticity Assessed by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)
The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) evaluates resistance to passive movement as an indicator of muscle tone and spasticity at the fingers. Possible grades are 0, 1, 1+, 2, 3, and 4, with a minimum grade of 0 and a maximum grade of 4. Higher grades indicate greater resistance to passive movement and more severe spasticity.
Time frame: At three pre-training assessments conducted over 2 weeks, immediately after completion of the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after completion of training
Wrist Spasticity Assessed by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)
The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) evaluates resistance to passive movement as an indicator of muscle tone and spasticity at the fingers. Possible grades are 0, 1, 1+, 2, 3, and 4, with a minimum grade of 0 and a maximum grade of 4. Higher grades indicate greater resistance to passive movement and more severe spasticity.
Time frame: At three pre-training assessments conducted over 2 weeks, immediately after completion of the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after completion of training
Elbow Spasticity Assessed by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS)
The Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) evaluates resistance to passive movement as an indicator of muscle tone and spasticity at the fingers. Possible grades are 0, 1, 1+, 2, 3, and 4, with a minimum grade of 0 and a maximum grade of 4. Higher grades indicate greater resistance to passive movement and more severe spasticity.
Time frame: At three pre-training assessments conducted over 2 weeks, immediately after completion of the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after completion of training
Fugl-Meyer Assessment Shoulder/Elbow Subscale Score
The Fugl-Meyer Assessment Shoulder/Elbow Subscore evaluates proximal upper-extremity motor impairment, including movements of the shoulder, elbow, and forearm. The score ranges from 0 to 36. Higher scores indicate better proximal upper-extremity motor function.
Time frame: At three pre-training assessments conducted over 2 weeks, immediately after completion of the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after completion of training
Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) Score
The Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) evaluates upper-extremity activity performance through 19 items covering grasp, grip, pinch, and gross movement. The total score ranges from 0 to 57. Higher scores indicate better upper-extremity activity performance.
Time frame: At three pre-training assessments conducted over 2 weeks, immediately after completion of the 20 training sessions, and 3 months after completion of training
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