The Robotic Therapy The Robotic Therapy is an integral part of our comprehensive Stroke Rehabilitation Program. This is a new powerful therapy concept for individuals who have suffered strokes, traumatic brain injuries or other neurological disorders resulting in arm weakness.
How Robotic Therapy works?
During Robotic Rehabilitation (or therapy) the robot exercises patients' limbs much like a physical or occupational therapist would.
If the patient is unable to move, the robot moves the patient's hand to the target;
If the patient moves inappropriately, the robot continually guides the patient's hand along a nominal trajectory toward the target;
Exercises are carried out in the virtual environment on a computer screen, providing the patient with goal-oriented tasks and giving them immediate visual feedback.
Built-in sensors and software record arm movements at each joint, so both the patient and the therapist can track improvement, determine the appropriate difficulty level and customize the training program as one sees progress.
The robot is able to provide graded assistance. As the patient gains the ability to control the limb, the robot provides less assistance.
How effective is Robotic Therapy?
A major clinical study has found that patients using Robotic Therapy show meaningful gains in limb movement and an improved outlook on life.
The paper, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, "provides the best evidence yet that stroke sufferers in a controlled study can regain limb movement long after an injury, through intensive therapy with specially trained personnel and newly created robotic aids".
Patients who had suffered stroke one to five years earlier, and who were considered to be in a "stable phase," showed significant improvement after receiving robotic therapy three times a week for six weeks.
What accounts for the benefits of Robotic Therapy?
The number of movements provided by the robot far exceed any dosage that might be administered by a human therapist,
The beneficial coupling of those movements with sensory information – from both the visual display and the robot arm itself.
Rehabilitation specialists think this repetitive motion can rebuild nerve pathways from the brain to the injured limb
Even severely impaired patients can practice independently, therefore, allowing patients to exploit their full potential for recovery.
How soon after a stroke Robotic Therapy can be initiated?
As soon as patient's medical condition is stable. Most recovery will happen within the first six months after a stroke. However, Robot-assisted therapy can help survivals regain some ability to move their affected arm up to five years after a stroke.
How to Get Started?
To get started, a patient must have initial examination by one of our physician.
Please call 718-538-8343 to schedule your appointment.
