A Soft Pneumatic Robotic Glove for Hand Rehabilitation of Hemiplegic Patients after Stroke

 It is very unlikely that a spastic hand like mine could ever don a glove like this.  They really didn't understand the requirements for this type of glove. 

A Soft Pneumatic Robotic Glove for Hand Rehabilitation of Hemiplegic Patients after Stroke

Authors

Lariab Kehar^{1, *}, Aisha Rafi¹, Lamia Asad¹, Sarmad Shams¹

¹Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Science, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author. Email: Laraib.kehar@lumhs.edu.pk

Corresponding Author

Lariab Kehar

Available Online 24 December 2024.

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-602-4_22How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Stroke Rehabilitation; Hemiplegia; Soft Pneumatic Glove; Mirror Therapy; Hand Function Recovery; Neuroplasticity

Abstract

Stroke-induced hemiplegia frequently causes reduced hand function, which has a substantial impact on patients’ quality of life. Traditional rehabilitation methods often fail to offer targeted, intensive, and engaging therapy. In response, this study presents a novel strategy that employs a soft pneumatic robotic glove specifically built for hand rehabilitation in hemiplegic stroke patients. The glove is designed to fit over the patient’s impaired hand and utilizes soft pneumatic air valves to apply controlled pressure and movement to the fingers and fist. Preliminary research shows promising results in increasing hand motor function, range of motion, and grip strength in hemiplegic stroke patients. The robotic glove prioritizes comfort and non-invasiveness, ensuring that patients can wear it for extended periods without discomfort. The glove can be used with other techniques such as physical and occupational therapy for a comprehensive approach to hand rehabilitation. Overall, the soft pneumatic robotic glove is a potential improvement in hand rehabilitation technology, providing a personalized and participatory approach to hemiplegic stroke recovery. Additional research and clinical trials are required to evaluate its efficacy and investigate its potential as a standard rehabilitation aid in clinical settings.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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