Assessment of the upper limb is critical to guiding the rehabilitation cycle. Drawbacks of observation-based assessment include subjectivity and coarse resolution of ordinal scales. Kinematic assessment gives rise to objective quantitative metrics, but uptake is encumbered by costly and impractical setups. Our objective was to investigate feasibility and accuracy of computer vision (CV) for acquiring kinematic metrics of the drinking task, which are recommended in stroke rehabilitation research. We implemented CV for upper limb kinematic assessment using modest cameras and an open-source machine learning solution. To explore feasibility, 10 neurotypical participants were recruited for repeated kinematic measures during the drinking task. To investigate accuracy, a simultaneous marker-based motion capture system was used, and error was quantified for the following kinematic metrics: Number of Movement Units (NMU), Trunk Displacement (TD), and Movement Time (MT). Across all participant trials, kinematic metrics of the drinking task were successfully acquired using CV. Compared to marker-based motion capture, no significant difference was observed for group mean values of kinematic metrics. Mean error for NMU, TD, and MT were - 0.12 units, 3.4 mm, and 0.15 s, respectively. Bland-Altman analysis revealed no bias. Kinematic metrics of the drinking task can be measured using CV, and preliminary findings support accuracy. Further study in neurodivergent populations is needed to determine validity of CV for kinematic assessment of the post-stroke upper limb.

UNASSIGNED: The aim of the study was to assess the inter-rater and intra-rater agreement of measurements performed with the Luna EMG (electromyography) multifunctional robot, a tool for evaluation of upper limb proprioception in individuals with stroke.
UNASSIGNED: The study was conducted in a group of patients with chronic stroke. A total of 126 patients participated in the study, including 78 women and 48 men, on average aged nearly 60 years (mean = 59.9). Proprioception measurements were performed using the Luna EMG diagnostic and rehabilitation robot to assess the left and right upper limbs. The examinations were conducted by two raters, twice, two weeks apart. The results were compared between the raters and the examinations.
UNASSIGNED: High consistency of the measurements performed for the right and the left hand was reflected by the interclass correlation coefficients (0.996-0.998 and 0.994-0.999, respectively) and by Pearson\'s linear correlation which was very high (r = 1.00) in all the cases for the right and the left hand in both the inter-rater and intra-rater agreement analyses.
UNASSIGNED: Measurements performed by the Luna EMG diagnostic and rehabilitation robot demonstrate high inter-rater and intra-rater agreement in the assessment of upper limb proprioception in patients with chronic stroke. The findings show that Luna EMG is a reliable tool enabling effective evaluation of upper limb proprioception post-stroke.

BACKGROUND: Considering the limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and the impact of improvements in patients with heart failure (HF), appropriate assessment of upper extremity functional capacity and ADL is important.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate upper extremity functional capacity and ADL in patients with HF and compare them with healthy controls.
METHODS: This study included 30 HF patients and healthy controls. Upper extremity functional capacity was assessed with the 6-Minute Pegboard Ring Test (6PBRT), ADL by the Londrina protocol, exercise capacity by 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), peripheral muscle strength by hand dynamometer, and dyspnea by Modified Medical Research Council Scale (MMRC). For performance tests, pre-test (resting) and post-test (after performance) values ​​were also measured.
RESULTS: Patients with HF with ejection fraction ≤50 % and controls were similar in terms of age (52.63±6.2 and 50.03±6.5 years, respectively) and gender (25 females for each group) (p > 0.05). Patients showed a statistically significant increase in total test time in the Londrina protocol and fewer rings moved in 6PBRT (p < 0.0001). The post-test dyspnea (p = 0.03) and pre-test arm fatigue (p < 0.0001) were observed to be higher in patients in the Londrina protocol. There was a statistically significant group by time interaction in the patients\' pre- and post-test lower heart rate (F= 4.80, p = 0.03), post-test dyspnea (p < 0.0001), and post-test arm fatigue (p = 0.005) were observed to be higher in patients in 6PBRT.
CONCLUSIONS: The evidence showed a decrease in upper extremity functional capacity in patients with HF. Patients required more time to perform their ADLs compared with healthy controls.

UNASSIGNED: Cerebral palsy is the most frequent condition affecting the central nervous system and causing large disability.
UNASSIGNED: To determine the impact of touch screen tablet upon fine motor functions in children with hemiparesis.
UNASSIGNED: This was a randomized controlled trial involving 60 children, ranging in age from 5 to 7 years old, randomized into two groups: intervention or control group (30 children per group). Both groups were given 12 consecutive weeks of designed fine motor tasks. Additionally, for thirty minutes, the intervention group was given a fine motor exercise program on a touch screen tablet. Upper limb function, finger dexterity and pinch strength were measured pre and post the recommended treatment program using the quality of upper extremity skill test (QUEST), Nine-Hole Peg Test and Jamar hydraulic pinch gauge, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: All outcome measures were equivalent between intervention groups at admission (P > 0.05). Significant improvements were found in all assessed variables within the two groups. Meanwhile, the intervention group had significantly higher improvements (P < 0.05) in finger dexterity, pinch strength, and upper limb function when compared with the control groups.
UNASSIGNED: Including a touch screen smart tablet application with a specially designed fine motor program is an effective method that helps children with U-CP perform more effectively with their fine motor skills.

BACKGROUND: People with Parkinson\'s disease (PwPD) present motor alterations which can impact daily life tasks that require speed and/or accuracy of movement.
OBJECTIVE: A sub analysis of NCT01439022, aiming to estimate the extent to which two different exercise training protocols (global and handwriting upper limb exercise training) impact reaction time, travel speed, and accuracy in PwPD.
METHODS: Seventy PwPD, right-side dominant were randomised 1:1 into two six-month training protocol groups; 35 PwPD performed global exercise training and 35 performed specific training (handwriting upper limb exercise movements). Assessments of speed-accuracy and trade-off were carried out at baseline, after 3 and 6 months of training, and at a 12-month follow-up. The current study used data from a previous publication of a randomised controlled trial that included a 6-month self-managed community exercise programme for PwPD. For the present study we included only the participants who completed the Fitts\' task during the baseline assessment.
RESULTS: In the upper limb assessments, no main effects were found for the number of touches, but the exercise group showed a marginal increase over time on the left side. Error averages on the left side decreased significantly for the exercise group from baseline to 6 and 12 months. The exercise group also presented a lower Error CoV and the Reaction Time CoV increased on the right side. Significant findings for Fitts r on the left side indicated lower values for the exercise group, with improvements continuing at 12 months.
CONCLUSIONS: We report the potential of global exercise interventions to facilitate improvements in reaction time and travel speed, as well as other motor control metrics, with lasting effects at 12 months, particularly on the non-dominant side.

Background and Objectives: Rotator cuff tendonitis (RCT) is one of the most common shoulder pathologies. It causes pain, limits shoulder joint movements, and impairs function. Despite various treatment methods, there are currently no specific guidelines regarding the most effective intervention for RCT. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have compared the effects of Kinesio taping (KT) and cold therapy (CT) on individuals with RCT. To this end, this study aimed to investigate and compare the short-term effects of KT and CT on pain relief and upper extremity functionality in individuals with RCT. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fourteen individuals were assessed for eligibility. Fifty-two individuals with RCT who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate were randomly allocated into either the KT or the CT group. A standardized home exercise program was given to all the participants. Their pain intensity, upper extremity function, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and grip strength were evaluated initially and after the three days of KT or CT applications. Results: All the assessment values significantly improved in the KT group. In the CT group, only the pain scores (except for the numerical rating scale (NRS) pain score during activity) were significantly improved in the CT group at the end of the third day of application compared to the initial values (p < 0.05). For all the measurement outcomes, the effects of time × group interactions were statistically significant (p < 0.05) in favor of the KT group, except for the resting pain (p = 0.688). Conclusions: The findings suggest that KT and CT could be used as adjunctive modalities to exercise for resting and night pain relief in patients with RCT. KT also had positive effects on the activity pain, function, ROM, and grip strength. The use of KT along with an exercise program could be a more effective therapeutic choice than the use of CT for improving night pain, activity pain, and upper extremity function during the short-term rehabilitation of RCT patients.

BACKGROUND: Open heart surgery, involving median sternotomy, may cause diminished chest wall motion and restrictive pulmonary function in the early postoperative period. Thoracic and upper extremity range of motion (ROM) exercises are often recommended after surgery but have not been evaluated regarding effect on lung volumes and oxygenation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate effect of upper limb elevations, with or without simultaneous deep breathing, on lung function after cardiac surgery.
METHODS: In a randomized 2 × 2 crossover trial, 22 adult patients (> 18 years old) were assessed during one of the first days after surgery in the spring of 2022 at Örebro University Hospital, Sweden. Exercises involving five bilateral upper limb elevations, performed either with simultaneous deep breathing (ROM-DB) or without (ROM), while sitting in an upright position at the edge of the bed, were evaluated. Peripheral oxygen saturation (Rad-5v; Masimo, Irvine, USA) was the primary outcome. Tidal volume and respiratory rate were recorded continuously during the exercises (Spiropalm; Cosmed, Rome, Italy). Heart rate, pain, exertion and dyspnoea were evaluated before and after the exercises.
RESULTS: Both ROM-DB and ROM momentarily increased peripheral oxygen saturation (+ 1% ± 1, p = 0.004 and + 1% ± 1, p < 0.001, respectively), with no significant differences between these exercises (p = 0.525). ROM-DB significantly increased the VT compared with ROM (798 ± 316 vs. 602 mL ± 176, p = 0.004). However, ROM-DB induced more pronounced pain (p = 0.012), exertion (p = 0.035) and dyspnoea (p = 0.013) than ROM.
CONCLUSIONS: Upper limb elevations improved oxygenation momentarily, both performed with and without simultaneous deep breathing, with no significant differences between these exercises. The additive deep breathing improved tidal volume compared with upper limb elevations alone, but induced more pain, exertion and dyspnoea during the performance of exercise.
BACKGROUND: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05278819).

暂无摘要。

UNASSIGNED: Robotic devices for upper-limb neurorehabilitation allow an increase in intensity of practice, often relying on video game-based training strategies with limited capacity to individualise training and integrate functional training. This study shows the development of a robotic Task Specific Training (TST) protocol and evaluate the achieved dose.
UNASSIGNED: Mixed-method study. A 3D robotic device for the upper limb, was made available to therapists for use during neurorehabilitation sessions. A first phase allowed clinicians to define a dedicated session protocol for TST. In a second phase the protocol was applied and the achieved dose was measured.
UNASSIGNED: First phase (N = 5): a specific protocol, using deweighting for assessment, followed by customised passive movements and then active movement practice was developed. Second phase: the protocol was successfully applied with all participants (N = 10). Intervention duration: 4.5 ± 0.8 weeks, session frequency: 1.4 ± 0.2sessions/week, session length: 42 ± 9mins, session density: 39 ± 13%, intensity: 214 ± 84 movements/session, difficulty: dn = 0.77 ± 0.1 (normalised reaching distance) and Ɵ = 6.3 ± 23° (transverse reaching angle). Sessions\' density and intensity were consistent across participants but clear differences of difficulty were observed. No changes in metrics were observed over the intervention.
UNASSIGNED: Robotic systems can support TST with high therapy intensity by modulating the practice difficulty to participants\' needs and capabilities.
Few robotics devices allow for Task Specific Training (TST) of the upper-limb post stroke.Robotic TST was shown to be feasible in a clinicians supervised setting.In supervised robotic TST sessions, clinicians can modulate task difficulty while preserving similar sessions’ density and intensity to adjust to the patient impairment.Robotic TST might be used for upper-limb neurorehabilitation without compromising the training intensity.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint disease that significantly impacts quality of life, particularly when affecting the hands. However, whether patients with OA are associated with higher risk of developing upper limb disorders, specifically trigger finger (TF) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of upper limb disease in OA patients.
METHODS: Using the US Collaborative Network, a subset of the TriNetX research network, we identified patients diagnosed with OA and matched them 1:1 with non-OA controls based on propensity scores. Matching covariates included age, sex, race, and comorbidities. The cohort consisted of 1,554,182 patients in each group. The hazard ratio of TF and CTS, as well as related surgical interventions, was assessed over a 5-year follow-up period.
RESULTS: Patients with OA had a 1.30-fold increased risk of TF [95% confidence interval (CI)=1.27-1.33] and a 1.50-fold increased risk of CTS (95%CI=1.48-1.53) compared to controls. The hazard ratios for undergoing surgical interventions were 1.61 for TF (95%CI=1.51-1.71) and 1.97 for CTS (95%CI=1.78-2.19). These risks remained significant across various sensitivity analyses and stratifications according to age and sex.
CONCLUSIONS: OA significantly increases the risk of TF and CTS. These findings highlight the need for vigilant monitoring and management of upper limb disorders in OA patients to improve overall patient care and outcomes. Future research is warranted to focus on pathological mechanisms of OA and their impact on upper limb health to develop targeted interventions.