Professor Koji Shomoto and Associate Professor Masaki Fuyuki of the Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kio University have announced that they have invented and patented a shoulder device for rehabilitation that introduces artificial muscles.
This orthotic device, which was patented by Fuyuki Gakuen, a school corporation that operates Kio University, is a rehabilitation device for lower shoulder subluxation caused by stroke hemiplegia.Since the conventional rehabilitation device using a pull belt could not lift the paralyzed arm with sufficient force, by introducing multiple artificial muscles instead, the shoulder joint subluxed due to stroke hemiplegia. The ability to reduce the condition has been dramatically improved.
Since the human arm weighs several kilograms to about 10 kilograms for a heavy person, it is said that subluxation of the shoulder joint occurs when the half body is paralyzed due to a stroke.At this time, if the muscles of the shoulder and arm become stiff while the bones of the upper arm are not normally fitted to the shoulder joint, shoulder pain will remain even after stroke hemiplegia. It is important to lift it so that the bones of the upper arm fit into the shoulder joint (repair).With conventional rehabilitation equipment that has a weak force to lift the arm, the joints often stiffen when the shoulder is not properly fitted, so that the degree of paralysis is reduced and the arm can be moved with the power of one's own muscles. Even so, more than tens of percent of people still have shoulder pain.
The prototype of the present invention contracts as much as human muscles, and uses artificial muscles with much stronger contractile force to increase the force to lift the arm.You can get enough force to lift the paralyzed arm.Currently, we are conducting tests by attaching it to post-stroke patients who visit Nishiyamato Rehabilitation Hospital, improving usability compared to conventional products, improving upper limb motor skills by stabilizing shoulder joints, improving walking, etc. Has been confirmed.The wearing test was conducted by Kimitaka Ikuno, Chief Engineer of the Rehabilitation Department of Nishiyamato Rehabilitation Hospital (Visiting Researcher, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kio University), Naohide Tsujimoto (Graduate of Physical Therapy, Kio University), and Kasuke Nakata (Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kio University). ) And other staff members are working together to increase the number of tests and continue development while making improvements.
