Upper extremity orthoses for stroke patients

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Abstract
Shoulder pain in the paralyzed stroke patient is a great problem. Certain pathological changes occur in patients with extensive paralysis in the upper limb. These changes are lesions or rupture of the rotatorcuff, displacement of caput humeri in a caudal direction and neuropathy of plexus brachialis with peripheral paresis. Careless handling of the patients'' arm and the passive pull of the heavy, paralytic arm are apparently the main cause for these lesions. Correct handling of the patient and support of the shoulder is necessary to prevent these injuries from taking place. The different arm-slings used for this purpose are not good enough. An orthosis to support the shoulder joint and reposition caput humeri (if this was luxated) is described. H provides the patient better balance by straightening the trunk and letting the arm hang extended and slightly abducted along the side of the body. The orthosis was only tested in a few patients. Further development and testing on several patients are planned.

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