Post-traumatic hand rehabilitation using a powered metacarpal-phalangeal exoskeleton: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Orthopaedics
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Robotics

Background:

• Hand joint stiffness post-trauma limits range of motion and grip strength.
• Robotic rehabilitation is established for neurological patients but underutilized in orthopaedic hand recovery.
• The I-Phlex powered finger exoskeleton was developed for metacarpal-phalangeal (MCP) joint mobilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term efficacy, user experience, and safety of the I-Phlex exoskeleton in a clinical orthopaedic hand rehabilitation setting.
• To assess the device's capability in measuring clinically relevant variables like range of motion.
• To explore the application of robotic devices in post-traumatic hand rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving six subjects with right-hand trauma.
• Measurement of passive and active range of motion (PROM and AROM) by therapist and exoskeleton.
• Assessment of user experience via questionnaires and numerical pain rating scale (NPRS); safety evaluation through adverse event monitoring.

Main Results:

• Median increases in PROM (5.88%) and AROM (11.11%) were observed.
• High user satisfaction scores (median 93.83 and 80.00) and no significant increase in pain.
• No major adverse events reported; one minor device malfunction without patient injury. Exoskeleton ROM measurements correlated with therapist goniometer assessments.

Conclusions:

• The I-Phlex device and its exercises are suitable for clinical MCP joint rehabilitation.
• The exoskeleton provides accurate ROM measurements comparable to traditional goniometry.
• Future research with a control group is recommended to confirm the technology's specific benefits over conventional therapy.