"Comparison of Outcomes of Physiotherapist- and Robot-Assisted Upper Limb Therapy and Their Association With Muscle Tone and Motor Function in Subacute Stroke Patients"
"Comparison of Outcomes of Physiotherapist- and Robot-Assisted Upper Limb Therapy and Their Association With Muscle Tone and Motor Function in Subacute Stroke Patients"
This study aims to compare the outcomes of upper limb motor therapy conducted by a physiotherapist with robot-assisted therapy using the Luna EMG device in patients in the subacute phase after stroke. Additionally, the study will examine the correlation between changes in muscle tone and motor function improvement. The randomized controlled trial will be conducted at the Rehabilitation Department of the T. Marciniak Lower Silesian Specialist Hospital in Wrocław, Poland. Two groups (robot-assisted vs. conventional therapy) will perform identical sets of movements with matched repetition counts over a 6-week therapy period. Functional improvement will be assessed using Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity Assessment (FMA-UE), Box and Block Test (B&BT), EQ-5D-5L, and MyotonPro measurements.
Stroke often leads to upper limb motor impairment, spasticity, and reduced independence. Robot-assisted rehabilitation, including devices like Luna EMG, may increase therapy intensity and patient motivation through feedback and movement intention detection via EMG signals.
This interventional study includes 58 participants post-stroke, randomly assigned to either robot-assisted therapy (Luna EMG) or conventional physiotherapist-led therapy. Both groups receive standard rehabilitation (75 minutes/day), with an additional 45-minute targeted upper limb training session. Sessions are conducted 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
Muscle tone will be assessed using the Modified Ashworth Scale and biomechanical parameters (stiffness, oscillation) with MyotonPro. Motor performance will be evaluated using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UE) and the Box and Block Test (B&BT). Quality of life and pain perception will also be measured using the EQ-5D-5L and a numeric rating scale (NRS).
Outcome measures will be collected at baseline, after 3 weeks, after 6 weeks of therapy, and 3 weeks post-intervention to evaluate both immediate and short-term effects of the intervention. This study seeks to identify whether robotic rehabilitation offers measurable advantages over traditional methods in early post-stroke recovery.
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