REHABILITATION DEVICE (MusicGlove) RESTORES USE OF HAND AFTER STROKE

About 80 percent of stroke sufferers have initial arm or leg weakness and about 50 percent have persistent debilitating weakness on one side of the body. Exercising  with the muscles on the injured side helps the muscles move аgain. Conventional therapy typically takes place over two to three weeks at the hospital. Upon release, the patient is sent home with a book of exercises.

After a stroke, the most recovery occurs in the first three months, then plateaus after six months. However, research has shown that the brain continues to improve and continuously has the ability to rewire itself. The MagicGlove team found that even patients 10 years after the onset of stroke were able to use their injured hand more than ever, after using the device.

The MusicGlove was invented by Nizan Friedman,  University of California, Irvine. Friedman and his advisors created the MusicGlove to fill the gap between expensive arm training devices purchased by hospitals and home rehabilitation.

MusicGlove - device, which looks like a glove made with strings, has sensors on the fingerpads to detect movements connected with a game, in which patients must make hand gestures to “play” music notes. As a user progresses, the degree of difficulty increases with more grips and notes. The MusicGlove movements are designed to mimic functional movements, such as a key pinch and finger opposition. 

The team’s studies have resulted in patients reporting the regained ability to do everyday tasks, such as tying shoes, washing dishes, using a remote control, and using the bathroom independently.  The MusicGlove sets a target practice of 1,000 repetitions a week and their studies have found that by week two, patients voluntarily do more than that. Patients report about 20 percent average improvement in hand function three years after stroke—a time when progress is thought to have stalled.

Results of a randomized controlled trial of MusicGlove with individuals with stroke published in the Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation showed that people using MusicGlove had significantly greater improvements in hand function than people doing conventional hand exercises after only two weeks. Users reported regaining the ability to open doorknobs, type on a keyboard, wash dishes, use silverware, bathe and wash themselves, and use the restroom independently after exercising with the devicе.

In addition to being effective, MusicGlove requires minimum intervention from a therapist while users play the game, so clinics can provide more intensive group therapy without increasing staff. This device also records accurate quantitative data that allows therapists to set goals for their patients and track functional improvements over time. The low price and ease of use of MusicGlove is good air for clinics that typically do not have access to other smart rehabilitation technology and equipment that can cost over $50,000USD and require advanced training to use.