Several studies have investigated the combined effect of various hand FES systems and ReJoyce for stroke and spinal cord injury rehabilitation. Here’s some background:
Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technique that uses small electrical pulses to activate nerves affected by paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI), stroke, head injury or other neurological disorders. FES can restore a certain amount of function in people with these injuries. Electrical stimulation of nerves is also used in many other applications including pain suppression, epilepsy, bladder control and bedsore prevention.
Hand and leg stimulators are the most common applications of FES in cases of stroke and SCI. The Bioness H200 and Bioness L300 are examples of such systems.
ReJoyce (Rehabilitation Joystick for Computer Exercise) is a hand, arm and shoulder rehabilitation workstation for improving function and range of motion. It is an affordable, passive device (no powered joints or actuators), and requires users to perform dexterous movements that are used in many common tasks of daily life. ReJoyce’s software adapts itself to a user’s abilities, adjusting its sensitivity to adapt to a wide range of abilities.
ReJoyce is used in clinics and in homes (in some countries), both under clinician supervision. The following video shows a person with SCI using the ReJoyce in combination with a hand stimulator. She is being supervised by a remote therapist using the ReJoyce Telerehabilitation system:
2 Responses to “ReJoyce and Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)”
Thanks for your comment Alan.
Perhaps in contrast to your HandTutor system, ReJoyce therapy can be used for either TOT or IOT rehabilitation regimens, as you have defined them. ReJoyce has a similar system of games that are designed to motivated patients, as well as an objective hand function test that characterizes a patient’s movement deficits.
Your device reminds me of the HandMentor. It is essentially an active version of your device that uses air pressure to move the hand.
Unlike the skype/team viewer combination, we have a proprietary telerehabilitation system that is built with HIPA and other health privacy guidelines in mind.
Can you post another comment with links to the studies you mention in your comment?
Andy P.
The HandTutor can measure ROM for each individual finger as well other motor impairments including speed of movement etc. In addition the HandTutor allows for isolated finger exercises so we can train pinch and opposition as well as isolated wrist movement. In addition, in the case of a flexor movement pattern, we have used the HandTutor biofeedbac to train the patient to move their thumb without moving their other fingers.
The HandMentor does not work on isolated finger movements. Can you email me and I will send you the research paper.
Thanks
Alan