Systematic review of the effect of robot-aided therapy on recovery of the hemiparetic arm after stroke

A limited number of clinical studies have examined the effect of poststroke rehabilitation with robotic devices on hemiparetic arm function. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the effect of robot-aided therapy on stroke patients' upper-limb motor control and functional abilities. Eight clinical trials were identified and reviewed. For four of these studies, we also pooled short-term mean changes in Fugl-Meyer scores before and after robot-aided therapy. We found that robot-aided therapy of the proximal upper limb improves short- and long-term motor control of the paretic shoulder and elbow in subacute and chronic patients; however, we found no consistent influence on functional abilities. In addition, robot-aided therapy appears to improve motor control more than conventional therapy.