Picture of Health
A Hand for a Hand
A Hand for a Hand
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People who lose muscle function due to stroke and other brain injuries may get some help from the Hand Mentor , pictured at left. Essentially it's a "smart" rehab exercise machine that senses how far the patient can move the muscle on her own. Once that limit is reached, the device takes over, continuing to move the muscle through the full range of motion, a key step in preparing it for independent movement.
According to Jay L. Alberts, a researcher at the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Neurological Restoration at the Cleveland Clinic, it "pushes the patient to give maximal effort." The Hand Mentor also provides visual feedback to patients, via a small screen, about the force, position and electrical activity of their muscle.
The exercise regimen is very rigorous and, according to the manufacturer, Kinetic Muscles of Tempe, Ariz., requires at least two to three hours a day, four or five days a week.
The $4,000 Hand Mentor is sold by prescription only and is not covered by Medicare. The first randomized clinical trial to determine the system's effects is underway.
-- Ranit Mishori
