The Hand Mentor™ is the first Active Repetitive Motion™ hand therapy device designed for use in therapy clinics to improve outcomes in stroke rehabilitation and cleared by the FDA. The Hand Mentor™ actively involves the patient in their rehabilitation by encouraging self-initiated motion in the wrist and fingers, and assisting movement only when necessary.
The Hand Mentor™ is based on the principles of Constraint Induced Therapy (CI) and Repetitive Task Practice (RTP). The patient’s hand fits into a comfortable cradle that senses the level of resistance caused by flexor spasticity. The interactive display engages patients and allows them to work on exercises to help them restore range of motion to their hand and wrist.
Along with setting goals, the Hand Mentor™ device provides performance reinforcement and clinician reports. Initial efficacy studies on the Hand Mentor™ have been very promising and additional studies are underway. By using the Hand Mentor™ as part of a comprehensive neurorehabilitation program, therapists can make better use of their patient contact time with this innovative device.
The software for the Hand Mentor™ is designed to be engaging and simple enough to allow a patient to use it without supervision, yet robust enough to offer the therapists a set of protocols and reports that will allow them to continually challenge patients of all levels.
The Hand Mentor™ is used by Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists that specialize in neurorehabilitation. It can be used on patients who have any injury where they need rehabilitation to help restore range of motion and strengthen muscles of their wrist and hand. Within the device, three different program types are designed to reduce spasticity, improve motor control, and recruit specific muscle groups.