Development of a single device to quantify motor impairments of the elbow: proof of concept.

Background: For patients with post-stroke upper limb impairments, the currently available clinical measurement instruments are inadequate for reliable quantification of multiple impairments, such as muscle weakness, abnormal synergy, changes in elastic joint properties and spasticity. Robotic devices to date have successfully achieved precise and accurate quantification but are often limited to the measurement of one or two impairments. Our primary aim is to develop a robotic device that can effectively quantify four main motor impairments of the elbow.

Reliability and Validity of a New Diagnostic Device for Quantifying Hemiparetic Arm Impairments: An Exploratory Study.

Objective: To assess test-retest reliability and validity of a new diagnostic device, the Shoulder Elbow Perturbator, to quantify muscle weakness, abnormal synergy, (muscle activity-related) spasticity, and changes in viscoelastic joint properties of the elbow.

Subjects: Stroke patients, adults with cerebral palsy and healthy controls.

Methods: Test-retest reliability was evaluated using intra-class correlations (ICC) and assessment of measurement error.