Abstract
BACKGROUND: 1 in 6 people in the United States live with a neurological condition. Robotic therapy aims to restore loss of motor function for patients by providing repetitive, intensive, adaptive, and measurable neuromuscular training of the upper extremity. Patients with neurological conditions that may benefit from robotic therapy include traumatic brain injury (TBI), cerebrovascular accident (CVA), spinal cord injury (SCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), cerebral palsy (CP), Parkinson’s disease (PD). PURPOSE: The purpose of this analysis was to critically appraise literature that analyzed the effectiveness of robotic therapy on upper extremity function on individuals with neurological conditions. METHODS: Level 1A and level 2B articles were included in the CAT if they were published within the last ten years, consisted of an upper extremity robotic therapy intervention, measured upper extremity function, and included participants with neurological conditions. RESULTS: Robotic therapy related to neurological diagnoses demonstrated clear initial improvement in patients’ upper extremity function including improvement in sensation, joint range of motion, and joint pain for greater independence with completion of activities of daily living. There were no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to support or disprove the effectiveness of robotic therapy on upper extremity function for patients with the neurological conditions of spinal cord injury (SCI), Parkinson’s disease, or motor neuron disease. In addition, robotic therapy improves time to complete tasks and muscle strength many years after spinal cord injury.