Setup of a Novel Biofeedback Prototype for Sensorimotor Control of the Hand and Preliminary Application in Patients With Peripheral Nerve Injuries

Background

Biofeedback training is widely used for rehabilitative intervention in patients with central or peripheral nervous impairment in order to train correct movement patterns; however, no biofeedback apparatus is currently available to correct pinch force ratios for patients with sensory deficiencies.

Design

A cross-sectional and longitudinal design was used in an observational measurement study for establishing a prototype and to determine the effects of biofeedback intervention, respectively.

Objective

This study aims to develop a computerized evaluation and re-education biofeedback (CERB) prototype for application in clinical settings.

Methods

We constructed a computerized biofeedback system integrating pinch apparatus hardware, a biofeedback user-controlled interface, and a data-processing/-analysis interface to detect momentary pinch performances for 79 subjects with normal hand sensation. Nine patients with hand sensory impairments were recruited to investigate the effects of training hand function with the CERB prototype.

Results

Hand dominance, pinch pattern, and age significantly affected the peak pinch force and force ratio for lifting a 480g object with a steel surface. In the case of the 79 healthy volunteers, hand dominance affected the time lag between peak pinch force and maximum load (p=0.010); however, it was unaffected by pinch pattern (p=0.781), or age (p=0.826). Training with the CERB prototype produced significant improvements in force ratio (p=0.004) and better performance in the pin insertion subtests (p=0.003) although the results for both two-point discriminative and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament tests did not change significantly.

Limitations

The intervention findings are preliminary.

Conclusions

This study developed a conjunct system suited for evaluating and restoring sensorimotor function for patients with impaired sensibility. The results from the healthy subjects could serve as reference database for comparison with patients with nerve injuries.

Source: http://ptjournal.apta.org/cgi/content/short/ptj.20120050v1?rss=1

Visit Website Website Web Site Get More Info