The Application Effect of Robot-Assisted Therapy for Hand Dysfunction After Stroke: A Scoping Literature Review

This scoping review was designed to address the core question: In the field of poststroke hand function rehabilitation, what is the current status of technical application, evidence characteristics, and research gaps of robot-assisted therapy in the existing literature? The review aimed to delineate the knowledge landscape of this field, with its unique contributions encompassing the systematic classification of robotic device technical types and their corresponding training paradigms, the identification of key concepts, evidence patterns, and research gaps in current studies, and guiding the design of more targeted future systematic reviews and clinical trials. Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, we searched nine databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP) until June 24, 2025. Analysis of 33 studies indicated the following: acute-phase robot-assisted therapy reduced spasticity and pain with functional recovery comparable to conventional therapy; subacute-phase robot-assisted therapy improved motor function and grip strength more effectively; and chronic-phase intent-driven robot-assisted therapy maintained 6-mo Action Research Arm Test gains. Robot-assisted therapy demonstrated favorable safety across phases and may provide clinically meaningful functional benefits. Evidence supports robot-assisted therapy's phase-specific value, warranting future large-scale trials to optimize protocols and explore neuroplasticity mechanisms.