Table 1.
Summary of participant and study design characteristics for all included studies
| Study | Months post injury | Subject # (males) | Subject # NFT group | Task | Sessions | Control condition | Cointervention | Feedback type(s) | Functional outcomes | Sackett’s level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhagat (2020) [65] | 9–106 | 10 (7) | 10 | Reaching | 12 | – | – | Robotic | FMA-UE, ARAT, GS, JTHF | IV |
| Biasiucci (2018) [22] | 10 | 27 (16) | 14 | Wrist and finger extension | 10 | Sham FES | PT | FES | FMA-UE, MRC, MAS, ESS | III |
| Chen (2020) [23] | 1–6 | 14 (12) | 7 | Wrist extension | 12 | MA with no FB | PT/OT/low frequency ES | Robotic | FMA-UE | II |
| Chowdhury (2018) [66] | 6 | 4 (2) | 4 | Grasping | 12–16 | – | Robotic therapy | Robotic, Visual | ARAT, GS | IV |
| Chowdhury (2020) [67] | 17–28 | 5 (2) | 5 | Grasping | 12 | – | Robotic therapy | Robotic, Visual | ARAT, GS | IV |
| Cisotto (2016) [59] | 12 | 2 (2) | 2 | Reaching | 10 | – | – | Robotic, Visual | RTT | IV |
| Daly (2009) [72] | 10 | 1 (0) | 1 | Finger extension | 9 | – | PT/OT/FES | FES, Visual | Volitional finger control | V |
| Ibáñez (2017) [68] | 36–60 | 4 (4) | 4 | Reaching | 8 | – | – | FES | FMA-UE, SIS | V |
| Jang (2016) [63] | 6 | 20 (10) | 10 | Shoulder ab/adduction | 30 | FES | OT | FES | MFT, MAS | II |
| Jovanovic (2020)[73] | 72 | 1 (1) | 1 | Reaching and grasping | 80 | – | – | FES | FMA-UE, ARAT, FIM, TRI - HFT | V |
| Marquez-Chin (2016) [74] | 72 | 1 (1) | 1 | Reaching | 40 | – | – | FES | FMA-UE, ARAT, FIM, TRI-HFT | V |
| McCrimmon (2015)[70] | 6 | 9 (6) | 9 | Ankle dorsiflexion | 12 | – | – | FES | FMA-LE, 6MWD, Ankle ROM, Gait Speed | IV |
| Mrachacz- Kersting (2016) [61] | 9–24 | 22 (19) | 13 | Ankle dorsiflexion | 1 | Sham FES | – | FES | 10mWT, FMA-LE, AS, TAP frequency, NIH-SS | III |
| Mrachacz- Kersting (2019) [26] | 4 | 24 (18) | 12 | Ankle dorsiflexion | 12 | 70% motor threshold ES | - | FES | 10 mWT, FMA-LE, modified RS, AS | II |
| Mukaino (2014) [75] | 14 | 1 (1) | 1 | Finger extension (hand opening) | 10 | MA with No FB | OT | FES | FMA-UE, MAS | V |
| Norman (2018)[69] | 6 | 8 (8) | 8 | Fingers extension (hand opening) | 12 | – | Robotic therapy | Visual | Box and Block Test | IV |
| Ono (2013) [76] | 14 | 1 (1) | 1 | Fingers extension (hand opening) | 15 | FES | OT | FES | FMA-UE, MAS | V |
| Osuagwu (2016) [64] | 3 | 12 (12) | 7 | Hand opening and closing | 20 | FES | PT/OT | FES, Visual | Wrist ROM, MMT | II |
| Ramos-Murguialday (2013) [4] | 10 | 30 (18) | 16 | Hand opening and closing | 20 | Sham Robotic FB | PT | Robotic | combined FMA-UE, MAS, MAL, GAS | II |
| Remsik (2019)[41] | –100 | 21 (9) | 21 | Grasping | 9–15 | Delayed Intervention | – | FES, Visual | ARAT, 9-HPT, NIH-SS, GS, SIS, Barthel Index | II |
| Silvoni (2013) [60] | 1 (0) | 1 | Reaching | 6 | – | – | Robotic, Visual | RTT | V | |
| Takahashi (2012) [77] | 30 | 1 (1) | 1 | Ankle dorsiflexion | 1 | FES | - | FES, Visual | Ankle ROM | V |
| Vourvopoulos (2019) [71] | 6 | 4 (3) | 4 | Reaching (wrist and elbow extension) | 8 | – | – | Visual | FMA, SIS, MAS | IV |
FB feedback; FMA-UE Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity; ARAT Action Research Arm Test; GS Grip Strength; MRC Medical Research Council; MAS Modified Ashworth Scale; FES Functional Electrical Stimulation; ES Electrical Stimulation; ESS European Stroke Scale; RTT Reaction Time Test; SIS Stroke Impact Scale; MFT Muscle Function Test; FIM Functional Independence Measure; TRI-HFT Toronto Rehabilitation Institute Hand Function Test; 10mWT 10-meter Walk Test; 6mWD 6 Minute Walk Distance; AS= Ashworth scale; mRS modified Rankin Scale; BBT Box and Blocks Test; cFMA combined Fugl-Meyer Assessment; MAL motor activity log; GAS Goal Attainment Scale; 9-HPT 9-Hole Peg Test; NIH-SS National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; MMT Manual Muscle Test; ROM= Range of Motion; OT Occupational Therapy; PT Physical Therapy; JBTH=Jebsen Taylor Hand Function, SCI Spinal Cord Injury