Therapy effect on hand function after home use of a wearable assistive soft-robotic glove supporting grip strength.

Autor: Kottink AIR; Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands.; Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands., Nikamp CDM; Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands.; Department of Biomedical Signals and Systems, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands., Bos FP; Reade, Center for Rehabilitation and Rheumatology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands., Sluis CKV; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands., Broek MVD; Sint Maartenskliniek, Ubbergen, The Netherlands., Onneweer B; Rijndam Rehabilitation, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., Stolwijk-Swüste JM; De Hoogstraat Rehabilitation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.; Centre of Excellence for Rehabilitation Medicine, Brain Centre Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands., Brink SM; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Isala, Zwolle, The Netherlands., Voet NBM; Rehabilitation Centre Klimmendaal, Arnhem, The Netherlands.; Department of Rehabilitation, Donders Institute for Brain, Radboud University Medical Centre, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands., Rietman JS; Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands.; Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.; Roessingh Centre for Rehabilitation, Enschede, The Netherlands., Prange-Lasonder GB; Roessingh Research and Development, Enschede, The Netherlands.; Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2024 Jul 11; Vol. 19 (7), pp. e0306713. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 11 (Print Publication: 2024).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306713
Abstrakt: Background: Soft-robotic gloves with an assist-as-needed control have the ability to assist daily activities where needed, while stimulating active and highly functional movements within the user's possibilities. Employment of hand activities with glove support might act as training for unsupported hand function.
Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of a grip-supporting soft-robotic glove as an assistive device at home during daily activities.
Methods: This multicentre intervention trial consisted of 3 pre-assessments (averaged if steady state = PRE), one post-assessment (POST), and one follow-up assessment (FU). Participants with chronic hand function limitations were included. Participants used the Carbonhand glove during six weeks in their home environment on their most affected hand. They were free to choose which activities to use the glove with and for how long. The primary outcome measure was grip strength, secondary outcome measures were pinch strength, hand function and glove use time.
Results: 63 patients with limitations in hand function resulting from various disorders were included. Significant improvements (difference PRE-POST) were found for grip strength (+1.9 kg, CI 0.8 to 3.1; p = 0.002) and hand function, as measured by Jebson-Taylor Hand Function Test (-7.7 s, CI -13.4 to -1.9; p = 0.002) and Action Research Arm Test (+1.0 point, IQR 2.0; p≤0.001). Improvements persisted at FU. Pinch strength improved slightly in all fingers over six-week glove use, however these differences didn't achieve significance. Participants used the soft-robotic glove for a total average of 33.0 hours (SD 35.3), equivalent to 330 min/week (SD 354) or 47 min/day (SD 51). No serious adverse events occurred.
Conclusion: The present findings showed that six weeks use of a grip-supporting soft-robotic glove as an assistive device at home resulted in a therapeutic effect on unsupported grip strength and hand function. The glove use time also showed that this wearable, lightweight glove was able to assist participants with the performance of daily tasks for prolonged periods.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
(Copyright: © 2024 Kottink et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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