Robotic Therapy Devices Improve Quality of Life For Stroke Survivors According to a research report featured in Physical Therapy “Stroke is the most prevalent cause of adult-onset disability in the United States. An estimated 5.8 million people who have had a stroke have residual neurological deficits.” At 6 months post-stroke, most individuals recovering from stroke cannot incorporate their affected extremity into daily activities, which is likely to reduce the stroke survivor’s perceived quality of life.
This article will discuss multiple forms of stroke therapy including how robotic therapy devices may be an adjunct or viable alternative to the delivery of intensive repetitive task practice therapy to enhance hand or foot function recovery for stroke survivors.
Repetitive task practice therapy, frequently used in a constraint-induced movement therapy regimen, has been proven to improve hand and foot functions as well as quality of life in stroke survivors. Repetitive task practice consists of breaking down tasks into specific segments. These segments are then practiced individually until they can be successfully completed. Afterward, the patient practices integrating the individual segments into an entire task.
Repetitive task practice therapy has been proven to be successful. However, this therapy is extremely labor-intensive, costly and, unfortunately, can …