Use and evaluation of assistive technologies for upper limb function in tetraplegia

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Cervical spinal cord injuries (SCI) significantly impair upper limb function, affecting independence and daily activities.
• Over half of SCI cases occur at the cervical level, necessitating effective assistive solutions.
• A lack of clinical consensus exists regarding the efficacy of current assistive technologies for this population.

Approach:

• A systematic literature review was conducted, analyzing studies published between 1999 and 2019.
• The review focused on assistive technologies for upper limb function in cervical SCI.
• Searches encompassed terms related to assistive technology, SCI, and upper limb function, yielding 1770 articles.

Key Points:

• 24 articles were included, categorizing technologies into neuroprostheses, orthotics, hybrid systems, robots, and arm supports.
• All studies reported improvements in upper limb function using the evaluated devices.
• Participant characteristics and outcome measures varied widely across the studies.

Conclusions:

• Assistive technologies can enhance upper limb function in SCI patients.
• Heterogeneity in participants, outcome measures, and technologies limits generalizable conclusions.
• Further standardized research is required to establish clinical effectiveness.