Effect of gravity on robot-assisted motor training after chronic stroke: A randomized trial

I couldn't tell what this was saying, although I do know if I don't have to hold my arm up I can move it.
http://www.naric.com/research/rehab/record.cfm?search=2&type=all&criteria=J62298&phrase=no&rec=117014
NARIC Accession Number: J62298. What's this?
ISSN: 0003-9993.
Author(s): Conroy, Susan S.; Whitall, Jill; Dipietro, Laura; Jones-Lush, Lauren M.; Zhan, Min; Finley, Margaret A.; Wittenberg, George D.; Krebs, Hermano I.; Bever, Christopher T..
Publication Year: 2011.
Number of Pages: 8.
Abstract: Study determined the efficacy of 2 distinct robot-assisted reaching programs compared with an intensive conventional arm exercise program (ICAE) for chronic, stroke-related upper-extremity (UE) impairment. Sixty-two adults with chronic, stroke-related arm weakness were stratified by impairment severity using baseline UE motor assessments. Participants were randomly assigned to 60 minutes, 3 times a week for 6 weeks of either robot-assisted planar reaching (gravity compensated), planar combined with vertical robot-assisted reaching, or an ICAE program. Clinical and robot outcome testing was performed at baseline, midpoint, final, and at 12-week follow-up. The primary outcome was the mean change in the UE portion of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) from baseline to final training. All groups showed modest gains in the FMA from baseline to final with no significant between group differences. The greatest change occurred in the planar robot group. Participants with greater motor impairment demonstrated a larger difference in response for planar robot-assisted exercise compared with the ICAE program. The results suggest that chronic UE deficits because of stroke are responsive to intensive motor task training. However, training outside the horizontal plane in a gravity-present environment using a combination of vertical with planar robots was not superior to training with the planar robot alone.
Descriptor Terms: LIMBS, MOTOR SKILLS, REHABILITATION TECHNOLOGY, ROBOTICS, STROKE, THERAPEUTIC TRAINING.