Elastic Dynamic Sling on Subluxation of Hemiplegic Shoulder in Patients with Subacute Stroke: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Effect of using an 8-figure shoulder brace on arm swing angle and gait parameters in chronic stroke patients: a pilot randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND

The 8-figure shoulder brace during treadmill training (8-FSBTT) intervention can stabilize the shoulder joint, improve the upright of the thoracic spine, induces a change in the angle of the arm during walking, and consequently improve walking ability in stroke patients.

OBJECTIVES

Our objective is to compare the effects of a 4-week program of 8-FSBTT with those of only treadmill training (OT) on arm swing angle, and gait parameters (gait speed, cadence, and both side stride lengths) in chronic stroke patients.

METHODS

Participants were randomized to either the 8-FSBTT (n = 11) or OT (n = 11) group. Patients in both groups underwent standard physiotherapy for 30 min per session. In addition, 8-FSBTT and OT interventions were performed 10 min, 5 times per week for 4 weeks. Arm swing angle, gait speed, cadence, and both side stride lengths were measured after 4 weeks of training.

RESULTS

After 4 weeks of training, the 8-FSBTT group showed significant improvement in all outcome measures compared with baseline (p < 0.05). Furthermore, Arm swing angle, gait speed, cadence, and both side stride lengths showed greater improvement in the 8-FSBTT group compared to the OT group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that 8-FSBTT training, combined with standard physiotherapy, improved Arm swing angle, gait speed, cadence, and both side stride lengths in the chronic stroke patients.

Advances in the clinical application of orthotic devices for stroke and spinal cord injury since 2013

Stroke and spinal cord injury are common neurological disorders that can cause various dysfunctions. Motor dysfunction is a common dysfunction that easily leads to complications such as joint stiffness and muscle contracture and markedly impairs the daily living activities and long-term prognosis of patients. Orthotic devices can prevent or compensate for motor dysfunctions. Using orthotic devices early can help prevent and correct deformities and treat muscle and joint problems. An orthotic device is also an effective rehabilitation tool for improving motor function and compensatory abilities. In this study, we reviewed the epidemiological characteristics of stroke and spinal cord injury, provided the therapeutic effect and recent advances in the application of conventional and new types of orthotic devices used in stroke and spinal cord injury in different joints of the upper and lower limbs, identified the shortcomings with these orthotics, and suggested directions for future research.