Design of a dynamic hand orthosis for stroke patient to improve hand movement

Motor recovery of hand in most of the stroke survivors is poor. Hand rehabilitation therefore continues to be a major focus for occupational therapy. Only some stroke survivors are candidates for constraint-induced movement therapy and the robots for robot-assisted therapy are expensive to purchase. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a low cost hand rehabilitation device for use in home or a therapeutic environment. The purposes of this study were to design of a firm, durable and adjustable hand orthosis and to examine the usability of the dynamic hand orthosis for persons with stroke. Splinting materials, 3D prints and hardware materials were used to design a firm and durable dynamic hand orthosis. Then user satisfaction questionnaire, hand function test and motion analysis system were used to examine the usability of the dynamic hand orthosis in persons with stroke. The results show that the persons with stroke satisfied with the orthosis. When wearing the orthosis the pick-up and release hand function improved immediately. The range of motion of metacarpophalangeal joint from hand open to pulp grip also increased. Future research is needed to evaluate the effects of the dynamic hand orthosis intervention on hand movement and function in both chronic and acute stroke.