The Effects Of Upper Extremity Robotic Rehabilitation On Upper Extremity Functions And Gait Parameters

Summary

Cerebral Palsy is defined as the cause of movement and posture disorders and activity limitation that develops in the fetal or infant brain that has not yet completed its development. When the literature is examined, although upper extremity and lower extremity involvements are common in individuals with hemiparetic CP, treatment programs are mostly aimed at the lower extremities. However, studies report that the upper extremity is more severely affected than the lower extremities in individuals with hemiparetic CP and that upper extremity functions have an effect on walking. Although different treatment methods have positive effects, their superiority over each other cannot be clearly reported. In this case, new intervention strategies based on sound methodological and scientific foundations are needed. At this point, virtual reality applications and robotic rehabilitation programs have started to play an important role in CP rehabilitation along with current developments in technology-assisted rehabilitation. Robotic devices provide visual, auditory and sensory inputs, making the process fun, while making the individual active in the treatment. It also enables the child to achieve goal-directed movements in children with motor disabilities. Various gait problems are seen in individuals with CP. Therefore, although lower extremity movements during walking have been well analyzed in the literature, upper extremity functions and especially arm movements during walking have received less attention. Although human gait is perceived as a situation that concerns only the lower extremities, it actually includes the coordinated movements of all four extremities. Individuals with hemiplegic CP usually have a markedly deviated arm position and reduced arm movement. This situation also affects the gait and balance of individuals with hemiparetic CP. Individuals change their upper extremity kinematics while increasing their walking speed to optimize gait and increase balance. In the light of this information, practices aimed at improving upper extremity movement and function should be included in the rehabilitation program of patients with hemiparetic CP, considering a holistic approach. Considering all these, we thought that if we increase the functions of the upper extremities, we can improve walking, and we planned this study.

Conditions

• Cerebral Palsy

Interventions

OTHER

conventional physiothrapy

Conventional physiotherapy program will be applied to the control group for 6 weeks, 3 days a week, 45 minutes a day. Strengthening, dynamic stretching, coordination and balance exercises and functional exercises for upper and lower extremities will be applied in this treatment program.

OTHER

robotic rehabilitation

The study group will be included in the rehabilitation program with the Hocoma brand Armeo Spring pediatric upper extremity robot for 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week, for 6 weeks at hospital. Armeo spring robot enables the individual to perform active movement by carrying the weight of the upper extremity of children who have active movement in their upper extremities but do not have enough strength to overcome gravity with their upper extremities. The individual is actively involved in the study during the study. With the adjustments made, it becomes suitable for use for right and left extremities. In the process of working; The games named High Flyer, Frisbee, Balloons, Goalkepper, Save the Monster, Fishing, Helicopter Rescue, which are included in the Armeo Spring robot and created to increase shoulder, elbow and wrist movements, will be used.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Gazi University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Mustafa BURAK, Phd · [email protected]

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-01-01

Primary Completion

2022-06-01

Completion

2023-01-01

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations