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http://hdl.handle.net/1942/19137
Title: | Robot-supported upper limb training in a virtual learning environment : a pilot randomized controlled trial in persons with MS | Authors: | FEYS, Peter CONINX, Karin Kerkhofs, Lore DE WEYER, Tom TRUYENS, Veronik MARIS, Anneleen LAMERS, Ilse |
Issue Date: | 2015 | Publisher: | BIOMED CENTRAL LTD | Source: | JOURNAL OF NEUROENGINEERING AND REHABILITATION, 12 | Abstract: | Background: Despite the functional impact of upper limb dysfunction in multiple sclerosis (MS), effects of intensive exercise programs and specifically robot-supported training have been rarely investigated in persons with advanced MS. Aim: To investigate the effects of additional robot-supported upper limb training in persons with MS compared to conventional treatment only. Methods: Seventeen persons with MS (pwMS) (median Expanded Disability Status Scale of 8, range 3.5-8.5) were included in a pilot RCT comparing the effects of additional robot-supported training to conventional treatment only. Additional training consisted of 3 weekly sessions of 30 min interacting with the HapticMaster robot within an individualised virtual learning environment (I-TRAVLE). Clinical measures at body function (Hand grip strength, Motricity Index, Fugl-Meyer) and activity (Action Research Arm test, Motor Activity Log) level were administered before and after an intervention period of 8 weeks. The intervention group were also evaluated on robot-mediated movement tasks in three dimensions, providing active range of motion, movement duration and speed and hand-path ratio as indication of movement efficiency in the spatial domain. Non-parametric statistics were applied. Results: PwMS commented favourably on the robot-supported virtual learning environment and reported functional training effects in daily life. Movement tasks in three dimensions, measured with the robot, were performed in less time and for the transporting and reaching movement tasks more efficiently. There were however no significant changes for any clinical measure in neither intervention nor control group although observational analyses of the included cases indicated large improvements on the Fugl-Meyer in persons with more marked upper limb dysfunction. Conclusion: Robot-supported training lead to more efficient movement execution which was however, on group level, not reflected by significant changes on standard clinical tests. Persons with more marked upper limb dysfunction may benefit most from additional robot-supported training, but larger studies are needed. | Notes: | [Feys, Peter; Maris, Anneleen; Lamers, Ilse] Hasselt Univ, Fac Med & Life Sci, REVAL Rehabil Res Ctr, BIOMED Biomed Res Inst, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium. [Coninx, Karin; De Weyer, Tom] Hasselt Univ, iMinds, Expertise Ctr Digital Media tUL, B-3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium. [Kerkhofs, Lore; Truyens, Veronik] Rehabil & MS Ctr Overpelt, B-3900 Overpelt, Belgium. | Document URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/1942/19137 | e-ISSN: | 1743-0003 | DOI: | 10.1186/s12984-015-0043-3 | ISI #: | 000358476600001 | Rights: | © 2015 Feys et al. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated. | Category: | A1 | Type: | Journal Contribution | Validations: | ecoom 2016 |
Appears in Collections: | Research publications |
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