In the January/February 2021 issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, I came upon the article summarizing the randomized controlled experiment conducted by Lee et al. (2021). I applaud the authors’ efforts to describe how robot-assisted rehabilitation helps stroke patients regain hand function and improve their capacity to carry out activities of daily living. However, I would like to share my thoughts on the trial.
First, there is not a lot of information provided by the authors about the sensory aspect of robot-assisted rehabilitation. There have been assessments of sensory function, but they were not as thorough or detailed as those of motor function. After a stroke, sensorimotor abnormalities result in restrictions on everyday activities and social involvement (Rudd et al., 2017). Somatosensory disabilities are also linked to decreased dexterity and manipulation abilities, which result in generally poor hand functioning (Doyle et al., 2010...
