Robotic Brace Incorporating Electromyography for Moderate Affected Arm Impairment After Stroke

Summary

Of the 5.7 million stroke survivors in the United States, up to 80% exhibit significant weakness in one arm (called "hemiparesis"). This devastating impairment undermines performance of valued activities and quality of life. Although rehabilitation is commonly provided, conventional affected arm rehabilitative strategies have negative evidence, or no evidence, supporting their use. Thus, there remains a need for evidence-based rehabilitative strategies for arm hemiparesis.

Newer rehabilitative approaches emphasize repetitive, task-specific practice (RTP) incorporating the affected arm. However, many of these promising regimens require participation in intensive therapies, and most are only efficacious on the least impaired patients. Thus, there remains a need for an efficacious, practical RTP technique to address moderate affected arm hemiparesis.

To address the above shortfalls, one of the investigators team members piloted an innovative brace integrating electromyography (EMG) and robotics. In his case series, 8 stroke patients exhibiting moderate arm impairment successfully participated in RTP, with the brace (called the "Myomo") detecting and augmenting their movement attempts. Aided by the Myomo, participation in the RTP regimen reduced subjects' affected arm impairment and spasticity. The next logical step is to test Myomo + RTP efficacy using randomized controlled methods and an appropriate sample size.

Conditions

• Hemiparesis

Interventions

DEVICE

Myomo Robotic Arm

Patients are administered rehabilitative therapy (repetitive task specific therapy,, also known as "RTP' in this study) using only the Myomo robotic device targeting their affected arms on 3 days/week during a 8 week period. These patients engage in RTP, which consists of a battery of activities that emphasize use of their affected arms repetitively, with the device providing assistance as needed with movement through the arm's range of motion.

BEHAVIORAL

RTP Standard Therapy

Active Comparator: RTP Group Patients are administered rehabilitative therapy using only RTP that is targeting their affected arms on 3 days/week during a 8 week period. In this condition, patients engage in activities that emphasize use of their affected arms repetitively, with the therapist providing assistance as needed with movement through the arm's range of motion. As patients progress, the amount of assistance provided by the therapist during the activities is reduced.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ohio State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Stephen Page, PhD,M.S. · Ohio State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

35 Years

Max Age

85 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-03-31

Primary Completion

2014-06-30

Completion

2014-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations