Evaluation of a Method to Support Unstable Shoulders by Means of a Textile Scapula Orthosis

Detailed Summary

Shoulder instability due to muscle weakness is a common problem in disorders of the upper extremities. During arm motion, the scapula acts as a dynamic base for the humeral head. To safely move the shoulder with an exoskeleton for the upper extremities a textile orthosis was developed that stabilizes the scapula against the thorax. The support level of the orthosis is continuously manually adjustable. To test the feasibility of our design and to improve the functionality of the textile orthosis, it needs to be investigated how the orthosis acts on people affected by shoulder instability. The investigators seek to explore how people with shoulder instability respond to the orthosis, and how they may benefit from the orthosis function. Therefore, the range of motion of arm elevation will be compared in different conditions: (i) without any support, (ii) with the support of a trained therapist, and (iii) when the device is engaged at the individual's optimal support level. Additionally, pilot tests will be performed to fix different parameters in our study protocol, such as the the optimal orthosis stiffness level and the ideal number of movement repetitions.

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