Giving Them a Hand: Wearing a Myoelectric Elbow-Wrist-Hand Orthosis Reduces Upper Extremity Impairment in Chronic Stroke
Peer-reviewed research published in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
This observational cohort study, conducted by researchers at The Ohio State University’s Division of Occupational Therapy and B.R.A.I.N. Laboratory, investigated whether the MyoPro Motion-G myoelectric orthosis could produce immediate, measurable reductions in upper extremity impairment for chronic stroke survivors with moderate hemiparesis.
Study Design
Eighteen chronic stroke survivors with moderate upper extremity impairment were enrolled. Each participant was assessed on a battery of standardized measures — first without the device, then again while wearing a custom-fitted MyoPro. The primary outcome measure was the Upper Extremity Section of the Fugl-Meyer Scale, a widely validated assessment of motor impairment. Secondary measures included a battery of functional tasks (feeding, drinking, lifting a laundry basket, turning on a light switch) and the Box and Block test of gross manual dexterity.
Key Findings
Participants demonstrated statistically significant improvements in upper extremity impairment while wearing the MyoPro, with Fugl-Meyer Scale changes exceeding the clinically important difference threshold. They also showed significantly improved performance on feeding and drinking tasks, particularly in grasp quality and elbow control. Gross manual dexterity, measured by the Box and Block test, improved significantly as well. These results were achieved immediately upon donning the device, without any prior training on the orthosis.
Clinical Significance
The study addresses a critical gap in stroke rehabilitation: the approximately 80% of stroke survivors who exhibit moderate impairment and have limited options for participating in repetitive task-specific practice therapies. The researchers found that the myoelectric orthosis provided enough functional support to enable these individuals to perform daily tasks — such as feeding themselves and grasping objects — that would otherwise be difficult or impossible with their paretic limb alone.
Authors
Heather T. Peters, MOT, OTR/L; Stephen J. Page, PhD, OTR/L, MS, FAHA, FACRM, FAOTA; and Andrew Persch, PhD, OTR/L, BCP — Division of Occupational Therapy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.
About Myomo
Myomo, Inc. is a wearable medical robotics company that offers improved arm and hand function for those suffering from neurological disorders and upper-limb paralysis. Myomo develops and markets the MyoPro product line — a powered upper-limb orthosis designed to support the arm and restore function to the weakened or paralyzed arms of patients suffering from CVA stroke, brachial plexus injury, traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, ALS, or other neuromuscular disease or injury.
It is currently the only marketed device in the U.S. that, sensing a patient’s own EMG signals through non-invasive sensors on the arm, can restore an individual’s ability to perform activities of daily living, including feeding themselves, carrying objects, and doing household tasks. Many are able to return to work, live independently, and reduce their cost of care.
Myomo is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, with sales and clinical professionals across the U.S. and representatives internationally. For more information, visit www.myomo.com.