Robot-Assisted Therapy in Upper Extremity Hemiparesis: Overview of an Evidence-Based Approach

Conclusion Robotic therapy has matured and represents an embodiment of a paradigm shift in neurorehabilitation following a stroke: instead of focusing on compensation, it affords focus in ameliorating the impaired limb in line with concepts of neuroplasticity. This technology-based treatment provides intensity, interactivity, flexibility, and adaptiveness to patient's performance and needs. Furthermore, it increases the productivity of rehabilitation care. Of course, efficiency must be discussed within a local perspective. For example, following the cost containment shown in the VA ROBOTICS study (46), the UK National Health Service commissioned the RATULS study to assess costs within the British system (29). As we expect the RATULS study with 770 stroke patients to be published in June 2019, one might consider how the technology might affect local costs of deployment and expand robotic therapy beyond the clinic to the community and home. Author Contributions CD and HK chose the article's subject, wrote and reviewed the manuscript. A-GG checked the reference list, reviewed the manuscript and formatted the manuscript. Conflict of Interest Statement HK is a co-inventor in MIT-held patents for rehabilitation robotic devices. He was the founder of Interactive Motion Technologies and former Chairman of the Board of Directors (1998–2016). He founded 4Motion Robotics (2017). The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of...
Source: Frontiers in Neurology - Category: Neurology Source Type: research