Deans' stroke musings: Soft robotic gloves versus mirror therapy: a long-term comparative study on hand function and motor recovery in post-stroke rehabilitation

Changing stroke rehab and research worldwide now.Time is Brain! trillions and trillions of neurons that DIE each day because there are NO effective hyperacute therapies besides tPA(only 12% effective). I have 523 posts on hyperacute therapy, enough for researchers to spend decades proving them out. These are my personal ideas and blog on stroke rehabilitation and stroke research. Do not attempt any of these without checking with your medical provider. Unless you join me in agitating, when you need these therapies they won't be there.

What this blog is for:

My blog is not to help survivors recover, it is to have the 10 million yearly stroke survivors light fires underneath their doctors, stroke hospitals and stroke researchers to get stroke solved. 100% recovery. The stroke medical world is completely failing at that goal, they don't even have it as a goal. Shortly after getting out of the hospital and getting NO information on the process or protocols of stroke rehabilitation and recovery I started searching on the internet and found that no other survivor received useful information. This is an attempt to cover all stroke rehabilitation information that should be readily available to survivors so they can talk with informed knowledge to their medical staff. It lays out what needs to be done to get stroke survivors closer to 100% recovery. It's quite disgusting that this information is not available from every stroke association and doctors group.

Sunday, August 31, 2025

Soft robotic gloves versus mirror therapy: a long-term comparative study on hand function and motor recovery in post-stroke rehabilitation

Did you have ANY spastic hands in your testing? I couldn't get on any soft glove until my spasticity is cured; NOT managed!

Soft robotic gloves versus mirror therapy: a long-term comparative study on hand function and motor recovery in post-stroke rehabilitation

Authors

Osama R. AbdelraoufPhysical Therapy Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabiahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6888-5480
Mohamed A. Abdel GhafarPhysical Therapy Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Mariam E. MohamedPhysical Therapy Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Physical Therapy for Cardiovascular/ Respiratory Disorder and Geriatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypthttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2169-9864
Zizi M. IbrahimDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabiahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6309-3484
Eman M. HarrazDepartment of Physical Medicine, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Dakahlia, Egypthttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9053-5487
Mohamed K. SeyamDepartment of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah, Saudi Arabiahttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2903-9198
Gihan Samir MousaDepartment of Physical Therapy for Cardiovascular/ Respiratory Disorder and Geriatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt; Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabiahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8469-9207
Rafik E. RadwanDepartment of Biomechanics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypthttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5405-853X
Amira E. El-BagalatyDepartment of Physical Therapy for Pediatric, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypthttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0781-5037

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2340/jrm.v57.43482

Keywords:

Robotic Gloves, Mirror therapy, Hand function, Post-stroke, Rehabilitation

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the long-term effects of soft robotic gloves (SRGs) and mirror therapy on hand function and motor recovery in post-stroke patients.

Methods: A single-blinded, randomized controlled comparative study was conducted on 49 patients with chronic stroke assigned randomly to either the SRGs or mirror therapy group. Both groups underwent an 8-week intervention alongside conventional rehabilitation. The Box and Block Test (BBT), hand grip strength, and Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up.

Results: Post-intervention, the SRGs group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in all outcome measures compared with the mirror therapy group (p = 0.004, 0.011, and 0.021, respectively). These improvements were sustained at follow-up (p < 0.001, < 0.001, and 0.003, respectively). Within-group comparisons showed significant post-intervention improvements in both groups; however, the mirror therapy group exhibited no significant changes between post-intervention and follow-up (p = 0.197, 0.125, and 0.317, respectively), whereas the SRGs group maintained significant gains (p = 0.003, 0.012, and 0.005, respectively).

Conclusion: Findings suggest that SRGs provide superior improvements in hand function and motor recovery compared with mirror therapy in post-stroke rehabilitation. The long-term benefits highlight the potential of SRGs as an effective intervention for promoting functional independence in stroke survivors.

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