Development of a wrist and hand stretching device for managing spasticity in stroke patients: a pilot study

So, you have proved this research from 2005 wrong?

The Effects of Stretching in Spasticity: A Systematic Review 2005 

The latest here:

 Development of a wrist and hand stretching device for managing spasticity in stroke patients: a pilot study

Phillip Siwoo Kim¹, Justin Kim², Philbert Chen² and Min Cheol Chang^3*

¹J&P Robotics, Fullerton, CA, United States

²Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, United States

³Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, College of Medicine, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Republic of Korea

Edited by

Hewei Wang, Fudan University, China

Reviewed by

Guidi Zou, Huizhou Third Peoole's Hospital, China

Yanzheng Zhang, Shanghai Yuhua Rehabilitation Hospital, China

*Correspondence

Min Cheol Chang, wheel633@ynu.ac.kr

Received 13 June 2025

Accepted 08 September 2025

Published 19 September 2025

Citation

Kim PS, Kim J, Chen P and Chang MC (2025) Development of a wrist and hand stretching device for managing spasticity in stroke patients: a pilot study. Front. Neurol. 16:1646697. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2025.1646697

Objectives: We developed a straightforward stretching device for the wrist and hand. To assess the device’s effectiveness in managing spasticity among chronic stroke patients.

Methods: The device, primarily constructed from plastic, comprises a forearm support module, a wrist module, and a finger module. Twenty stroke patients used the device four times daily, 7 days a week, for 1 month. Spasticity severity was measured using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) for the wrist, thumb, and index fingers. A questionnaire evaluated the device’s feasibility and areas for improvement.

Results: Before treatment, the mean MAS scores for the wrist, thumb, and index finger flexors were 1.50 ± 0.36, 1.52 ± 0.34, and 1.50 ± 0.30, respectively, compared with 1.25 ± 0.26, 1.27 ± 0.30, and 1.32 ± 0.33 post-intervention. Patients and occupational therapists expressed satisfaction with the device, citing its ease of use, effectiveness in stretching the wrist and fingers, and overall ease of manipulation. Half of the patients reported that all fingers were easily extended. The rigid plastic finger module was subsequently replaced with an inflatable, flexible rubber ball, providing a more comfortable contour for the stretched fingers, which increased user satisfaction.

Conclusion: The stretching device effectively reduced spasticity in the wrist and hand, and the upgraded device enhanced patient satisfaction.