NCT00646347

A Pilot Study of Neuro Hand Orthosis Program In Stroke Upper Limb Rehabilitation

A Pilot Study of Neuro Hand Orthosis Program: A Promising Restorative Therapy Treatment for the Severe Paralytic Arm in Subacute Stroke Rehabilitation

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 30 (estimated)
• Sponsor: St Luke's Hospital, Singapore · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 50 Years – 89 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The implementation of Neuro Hand Orthosis Upper Limb Program can significantly improve the severe stroke paralytic arm in subacute rehabilitation as compared with the use of conventional therapy.

Detailed description

The neuro hand orthosis is based on a design of dynamic hand orthosis for orthopaedic patients. We attempt to apply such an orthosis on stroke patients to aid in regaining movement from severe paralytic arm by helping the patients to support their wrist and finger in a functional position for grasping. The patient is then encouraged to produce voluntary movement from the severe paralytic arm to transport an object (ball) from place to place either in sitting or standing position. Since intensive arm usage is associated with neuro reorganisation, we propose designing a program with the neuro hand to encourage usage of the paralysed hand and help overcome the barriers of poor motivation and lack of arm usage through self practice program.

Conditions

• Paralytic Stroke

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Conventional upper limb stroke rehabilitation	Patient will be given a ten weeks conventional upper limb therapy. 3 sessions will be provided weekly in the first 4 weeks and 2 therapy sessions will be provided weekly in the subsequent 6 weeks. Patients will receive half an hour of conventional therapy in each session. Patient will be taught to carry out two and half hours conventional self practice exercise daily for a period of ten weeks.
DEVICE	Neuro Hand Orthosis Program (NHOP)	The NHO is based on a design of dynamic hand orthosis for orthopaedic patients after hand surgery. We use it to support CVA patient's wrist and finger to perform grasping to transport an object (ball) from place to place to achieve the follows; 1. NHO can assist stroke patients to experience successful hand grasping with an object and produce voluntary movement from their paralytic arm. This successful experience will positively reinforce the patient to continue to use their paralytic arm and change the patient's behavior and perception in the arm usage. 2. The NHO Program is able to engage patients to perform their exercises and activities by themselves independently with the effect of intensive therapy. The intervention (NHOP) group will receive same treatment intensity as the control group but with a "Neuro Hand Orthosis".

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-03-01
• Primary completion: 2009-01-01
• Completion: 2010-07-01
• First posted: 2008-03-28
• Last updated: 2009-02-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Singapore