Robotic and Conventional Hand Therapy After Stroke

Weakness is a major cause of disability in stroke survivors. Rehabilitation techniques are
often not effective in restoring full function of the upper limb. Specifically, many
individuals remain with weakness in the hand, preventing its return to full use.

Robotic therapies have been developed as exercise tools for stroke survivors. Devices, such
as the InMotion2, have been shown to be useful in restoring some motor function in the upper
limb. However, most existing devices designed to be used with the upper limb have primarily
been developed to treat the shoulder, elbow and wrist. They have not specifically addressed
hand function.

Tyromotion, Inc. has developed the Amadeo, which is primarily intended to provide
rehabilitation for patients with neurological or orthopedic deficits in hand function.
Initial clinical testing has demonstrated the practicality of using this device in a
population of stroke survivors, although further research is needed to better understand the
usefulness of the Amadeo device as compared with conventional rehabilitation methods. The
purpose of this study was to compare results of training with the Amadeo device or training
with conventional therapies.

A total of 28 subjects from two separate sites participated in the study and underwent
baseline testing of upper limb motor and sensory performance and function. Subjects were then
assigned to one of two treatment groups with a 50:50 chance of being in either group. One
group underwent training with the Amadeo device and the other group underwent training with
conventional therapy. All training sessions were 60 minutes in duration, three days/week for
eight weeks (24 total sessions). Subjects were reassessed on completion of the training
program.