Two new dynamic devices / orthoses for training / assisting / rehabilitation of hand functionality in patients with stroke as a result of clinical experience

摘要

Introduction - Observing stroke patients with hemiplegia we can easily identify one of the problems they face –inability to use affected upper limb. On a closer analysis we can see that this incapacity is determined, at many of them, by the incapacity to open the hand and grasp. They follow therapies for months and the results are often mediocre therefore respectively upper limb is neglected and forgotten and its activities are taken up by the healthy upper limb. These observations have prompted the search for other type of solutions to help / assist them and facilitate participation. In this way were created twodynamic devices/orthotics that assists finger extension, facilitates grasping and increase, at least in theory, the possibilities of participation.Objective - The main purpose of this study is to test the effectiveness of using these devices on short and medium term.Material and method - For this study we will select 60 patients with single stroke. Patients will be randomized into two groups. Patients in the control group will receive a physical therapy session per day for 10 days. Patients in the experimental group will receive in addition a functional workout (20-30 minutes of handling small objects and few simple functional gestures of the "activities of daily living") using one of the two devices –the one that will allow the patient to best accomplish the given tasks. We will perform an initial assessment, one final and one to three months. The initiation of this study will be made after obtaining the opinion of the ethics committee, and the inclusion of patients will occur only after obtaining informed consent.Conclusions - Creation of two dynamic devices/orthotics witch assist finger extension and facilitate prehension opened the possibility of carrying out a clinical trial to test the effectiveness of their use. To what extent that this will happen remains to be seen.