ArmTutor Noted as the Proper Intervention in Post Stroke Therapy

Hilde M. Feys, PT etal of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy, University of Leuven , Belgium write about the Effects of a Therapeutic Intervention for the Hemiplegic Upper Limb in the Acute Phase After Stroke.

Arm function recovery is notoriously poor in stroke patients. The effect of treatment modalities, particularly those directed at improving upper limb function, has been studied primarily in chronic stroke patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a specific therapeutic intervention on arm function in the acute phase after stroke.
The Conclusions reached were that adding a specific intervention during the acute phase after stroke improved motor recovery, which was apparent 1 year later. These results emphasize the potential beneficial effect of therapeutic interventions for the arm.
The ARMTUTOR is the newly developed intervention to train and exercise the functionability of the affected limb.
The ARMTUTOR™ and HANDTUTOR system (as well as the LEGTUTOR and 3DTUTOR) has been developed to allow for functional rehabilitation of the upper extremity including the shoulder, elbow and wrist. The system consists of an ergonomic wearable glove and arm brace together with dedicated rehabilitation software. The ARMTUTOR™ and HANDTUTOR system allow the physical and occupational therapist to report on and evaluate the patients functional rehabilitation progress. This allows the OT and PT to prescribe the right customized and motivating intensive exercise practice which is the cornerstone to manual rehabilitation therapy. Intensive repetition of movement is achieved through challenging games set to the patients movement ability.
The system provides detailed exercise performance instructions and precise feedback on the patients exercise performance. Controlled exercise of multijoints within the normal movement pattern prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks. Telerehabilitation allows the recovering patient to continue his physical therapy at home.
See WWW.HANDTUTOR.COM for more information.