The Efficacy of Upper Extremity Wearable Robotic Orthosis on Improving Upper Extremity Motor Function and Activities of Daily Living in Persons with Spinal Cord Injury
Abstract
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a medically complex and life-disrupting condition. Each year in the United States, it is estimated that 17,500 new traumatic SCI cases are reported, including many active Service men and women, and Veterans. In about half of those, the injury involves some part of the arm and hand, representing significant disability and dependence for those patients and their families. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides care for approximately 26% of individuals with SCI in the United States, making it the single largest network of care for persons with SCI. When arms/hands are impaired, patient s quality of life and level of independence are reduced. Even though restoration of upper extremity function in people with SCI remains a high priority in rehabilitation and in the field of assistive technology, currently, there are few wearable powered devices developed specifically for increasing upper extremity activity, especially wrist and hand function. The proposed study will evaluate the feasibility of a smart upper extremity wearable orthosis (MyoPro, Myomo, Inc.) to better understand its effectiveness on improving upper extremity motor function, activities of daily living, and quality of life in persons with incomplete SCI (iSCI). This MyoPro orthosis can assist elbow, wrist, and hand function with built-in motors that are activated by patients will represented by the residue voluntary muscle activities detected by built-in sensors. Results from this research will establish the first guidelines of a powered orthosis (MyoPro) for persons with iSCI, for specifically improving function, activity of daily living, and quality of life. The impact of the data generated from this clinical trial investigation should advance application of new orthotic and prosthetic technologies to treating disabilities as a results of injuries or diseases such as SCI and promote home and community uses of the technologies to improve daily function and independence. The study would also advance scientific knowledge regarding neural changes that occurred in the nervous system by application of the technology. The learned knowledge from this investigation will further justify the utilization of such an orthotic technology for individuals with SCI. Beyond the common therapeutic benefits of upper extremity motor function rehabilitation and the assistance for daily living provided with utilization the MyoPro orthotic device, there may be additional benefits including improvements in quality of life and activity of daily living due to recovered function by using the device. The study described in this application would provide clinicians and therapists with an initial, but stronger basis for integrating such an orthosis into regimens for managing upper extremity impairments in persons with SCI. This would represent a significant improvement to the existing paradigms of treating hand/arm disabilities in persons with iSCI. The benefits, for the patients and society (including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) community), of utilizing such an orthotic device during daily activities at home and in the community far outweigh the minimal risks associated with this U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved orthosis, particularly as those minimal risks have been minimized by using sound research methodologies. Recently Myomo, Inc. launched an awareness program for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase awareness of the MyoPro orthosis and to show how such an orthotic device can improve hand, wrist, and upper extremity functions. Many individuals have regained the ability to use their paralyzed arms and hands again with MyoPro, and the company (Myomo, Inc.) is currently collaborating with several VA Medical Centers to provide this technology to many more veterans in their care. However, what is lacking is the evidence to support much of the anecdotal reports. The impact of the current study is to prov
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 29, 2018
- Source ID
- W81XWH1810728
Entities
People
- Ghaith Androwis
Organizations
- Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
- United States Army