The mechanical properties of muscles such as tone, elasticity, and stiffness are often affected in patients with stroke.Myotonometer is a relatively convenient and authoritative measurement for muscle inherent properties utilized in neuromuscular diseases. The aim of this study is to examine the alternation of muscle mechanical properties after neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined cycling Training on the lower limb muscles of chronic stroke survivors.
Background: The sensor-based soft smart glove device is able to achieve multiple degree of freedom and complex motions with soft components. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of RAPAEL ® Smart Glove digital training system on functional restoration of upper extremity and cortical neuroplastic changes in subacute stroke patients while provided in combined with conventional occupational therapy (OT).Methods: Fifty-two subacute stroke patients with upper extremity motor function deficit participated and 36 of them completed the interventional protocol (20 experimental group and 16 control group) . All participants were treated with conventional OT for 4 weeks, 5 times per week, 30 min per day. In addition, the experimental group received game-based digital hand motor training with the RAPAEL ® Smart Glove digital system for 4 weeks, 5 times per week, 30 min per day. The control group received additional OT for 30 min. The outcomes were assessed before intervention (T0), after 4 weeks of intervention (T1), and 4 weeks after cessation of intervention (T2) using Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scale and Jebsen-Tayler hand function test (JTT). Oxygenated hemoglobin ( OxyHb ) levels over bilateral primary and secondary motor cortices during hand and wrist movement were measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy at T0 and T1.Results: All groups demonstrated improved upper extremity motor function for FMA total score and all subscores of JTT at T1, however, only experimental group showed further improvement at T2 ( p < 0.05). Also, the experimental group had significantly greater improvements upper extremity score of FMA scale and all subscores of JTT at T1 and T2 ( p < 0.05). Concentration of OxyHb over the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex during wrist and hand movement was more increased in the experimental group than control group at T1 ( p < 0.05).Conclusion: This study demonstrated that training with the RAPAEL ® Smart Glove further improved upper extremity and hand motor function than conventional OT alone by enhancing ipsilesional motor cortical activity in subacute stroke patients.
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