Hybrid Assistive Limb Intervention for Hemiplegic Shoulder Dysfunction Due to Stroke

Upper limb dysfunction after stroke is one of the most serious functional disorders, and adequate functional recovery is often not expected. Although various studies have been conducted on effective rehabilitation for upper limb dysfunction, active rehabilitation such as repetitive training of upper limb elevation has not been sufficiently conducted yet because the shoulder joint is highly unstable and the appearance of pain is easily observed. In this study, we performed right shoulder joint elevation training in a seated position using a single-joint hybrid assistive limb (HAL) in a 54-year-old female with right hemiplegia after a stroke. Her right upper limb function improved as follows: passive and active range of motion (ROM) of shoulder flexion, from 105° to 115° and from 65° to 105°, respectively; manual muscle test (MMT), from 2 to 4; box and block test of the right hand, from 1 to 8; right grip strength, from less than 5 to 7.4 kg; and action research arm test (ARAT) total scores, from 10 to 20. No adverse events including shoulder pain were seen. According to the result of the pilot study, HAL may be an effective rehabilitation tool for upper limb dysfunction after stroke.