Assessment of upper limb spasticity in stroke patients using the robotic device REAplan
Stéphanie Dehem , Maxime Gilliaux, Thierry Lejeune, Christine Detrembleur, Daniel Galinski, Julien Sapin, Martin Vanderwegen, Gaëtan Stoquart
Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Université catholique de Louvain, 1200 Brussels, Belgium
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-2248
Lay Abstract
Stroke patients often suffer from upper limb stiffness, named spasticity. Limb stiffness is usually assessed using subjective and qualitative scales. In the present study, we developed a quantitative protocol for the assessment of spasticity using a rehabilitation robot. The upper limb of twelve chronic stroke patients was passively mobilized at five different constant velocities. All along the extension movement, the robot measured the resistance force corresponding to the patient spasticity. The present study demonstrates that this new protocol is valid, reliable and sensitive.
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