Background: In recent years, many studies focused on the use of robotic devices for both the assessment and the neuro-motor reeducation of upper limb in subjects after stroke, spinal cord injuries or affected by neurological disorders. Contrarily, it is still hard to find examples of robot-aided assessment and rehabilitation after traumatic injuries in the orthopedic field. However, those benefits related to the use of robotic devices are expected also in orthopedic functional reeducation. Methods: After a wrist injury occurred at their workplace, wrist functionality of twenty-three subjects was evaluated through a robot-based assessment and clinical measures (Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation, Jebsen-Taylor and Jamar Test), before and after a 3-week long rehabilitative treatment. Subjects were randomized in two groups: while the control group (n = 13) underwent a traditional rehabilitative protocol, the experimental group (n = 10) was treated replacing traditional exercises with robot-aided ones. Results: Functionality, assessed through the function subscale of PRWE scale, improved in both groups (experimental p = 0.016; control p < 0.001) and was comparable between groups, both pre (U = 45.5, p = 0.355) and post (U = 47, p = 0.597) treatment. Additionally, even though groups’ performance during the robotic assessment was comparable before the treatment (U = 36, p = 0.077), after rehabilitation the experimental group presented better results than the control one (U = 26, p = 0.015). Conclusions: This work can be considered a starting point for introducing the use of robotic devices in the orthopedic field. The robot-aided rehabilitative treatment was effective and comparable to the traditional one. Preserving efficacy and safety conditions, a systematic use of these devices could lead to decrease human therapists’ effort, increase repeatability and accuracy of assessments, and promote subject’s engagement and voluntary participation. Trial Registration ClinicalTrial.gov ID: NCT04739644. Registered on February ...


    Access

    Download


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Efficacy of wrist robot-aided orthopedic rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial


    Contributors:
    Albanese G. A. (author) / Taglione E. (author) / Gasparini C. (author) / Grandi S. (author) / Pettinelli F. (author) / Sardelli C. (author) / Catitti P. (author) / Sandini G. (author) / Masia L. (author) / Zenzeri J. (author)

    Publication date :

    2021-01-01



    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    DDC:    629



    Robot for Wrist Rehabilitation

    D. J. Williams / H. I. Krebs / N. Hogan | NTIS | 2001


    Robot-aided assessment of wrist proprioception

    Cappello L. / Elangovan N. / Contu S. et al. | BASE | 2015

    Free access

    Development of wrist bending rehabilitation robot

    Kim, Hyeon-Min / Tae-Kyung Hong, / Hyung-Je Cho, et al. | IEEE | 2014


    Research and Control of Wearable Robot for Wrist Rehabilitation

    Chikurtev, Denis / Stoev, Petko | TIBKAT | 2022


    Development of Practical Wrist Rehabilitation Robot by Mirror Effect

    Yamamoto, Ikuo ;Matsui, Miki ;Inagawa, Naohiro | Trans Tech Publications | 2014