Improved Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores after myoelectric arm orthosis use at home in chronic stroke: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Most stroke survivors have persistent upper limb impairments after completing standard clinical care. The resulting impairments can adversely affect their quality of life and ability to complete self-care tasks and remain employed, leading to increased healthcare and societal costs. A myoelectric arm orthosis can be used effectively to support the affected weak arm and increase an individual’s use of that arm. Objective: The study objective was to retrospectively evaluate the outcomes and clinical benefits provided by the MyoPro® orthosis in individuals 65 years and older with upper limb impairment secondary to a stroke. Methods: The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire was administered to individuals who have chronic stroke both before and after receiving their myoelectric orthosis. A Generalized Estimating Equation model was analyzed. Results: After using the MyoPro, 19 individuals with chronic stroke had a mean improvement (decrease) in DASH score of 18.07, 95% CI = (−25.41, −10.72), adjusted for 8 covariates. This large change in DASH score was statistically significant and clinically meaningful as participants self-reported an improvement with engagement in functional tasks. Conclusions: Use of the MyoPro increases independence in functional tasks as reported by the validated DASH outcome measure for older participants with chronic stroke.