The Use of Armeo®Spring Device to Assess the Effect of Trunk Stabilization Exercises on the Functional Capabilities of the Upper Limb—An Observational Study of Patients after Stroke

Abstract

Almost half of stroke patients report impaired function of the upper limb and hand. Stability of the trunk is required for the proper movement of the body, including the legs and arms. The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of trunk stabilization exercises on coordinated movement of the affected upper limb in patients after stroke, using an Armoe®Spring device and the “wall” and “abacus” functional tests. Materials and methods: This is a randomized, double-blinded study. The research was carried out in the Rehabilitation Clinic on a group of 60 stroke patients who were randomly assigned to groups differing in the rehabilitation program. The study group had physiotherapy based on the NDT Bobath concept and the control group used classic exercises. The importance of the trunk for upper limb coordination was assessed on the Armeo®Spring device using three evaluation programs, “perpendicular fishing”; “horizontal fishing”; “reaction time”, and two proprietary tests, “wall” and “abacus”. Results: The post-treatment analysis showed significantly better results in the study group for the abacus (p < 0.001), wall (p = 0.003) tests, and a significantly higher percentage of task completion in the vertical fishing (p = 0.036) and reaction time (p = 0.009) tests. Conclusions: Physiotherapy including exercises to stabilize the trunk had a significant effect on increasing the functional efficiency of the affected upper limb and on improving the handgrip strength. The Armeo®Spring device is a good device for the functional assessment of the upper limb before and after therapy.

Modified‐constraint movement induced therapy versus neuro‐developmental therapy on reaching capacity in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy

“…They suggested that progress in muscle strength with NDT may be due to activity training for normal movement or life activities during treatment sessions. Lee and Choi (2017) recommended trunk stabilization exercises for post-hospital stroke patients, while Olczak et al (2022) confirmed the necessity of NDT concept-recommended stabilization exercises for functional upper limb rehabilitation.…”

“…Lee and Choi (2017) recommended trunk stabilization exercises for post‐hospital stroke patients, while Olczak et al. (2022) confirmed the necessity of NDT concept‐recommended stabilization exercises for functional upper limb rehabilitation.…”

The Role and Importance of Using Sensor-Based Devices in Medical Rehabilitation: A Literature Review on the New Therapeutic Approaches

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“…IMUs are easy to incorporate, compatible with a variety of contexts, and present fewer privacy problems. This device seems to be a potential solution for monitoring adherence to rehabilitation protocols and posture [9,10].…”

Safety, Feasibility and Efficacy of Lokomat® and Armeo®Spring Training in Deconditioned Paediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients

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