Wengerd L. FUNCTIONAL UTILITY OF WEARING A MYOELECTRIC ORTHOSIS FOR UPPER EXTREMITY PARALYSIS DUE TO SPINAL CORD INJURY.  CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & 
ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018.  DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32021     

1 

 
OPEN  ACCESS 

 

AOPA’S 101 ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ABSTRACTS, SEPTEMBER 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018 
 

ABSTRACT (POSTER PRESENTATION) 

FUNCTIONAL UTILITY OF WEARING A MYOELECTRIC ORTHOSIS FOR UPPER 

EXTREMITY PARALYSIS DUE TO SPINAL CORD INJURY  

Lauren Wengerd, 

The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. 

Email: lauren.wengerd@osumc.edu 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32021  

 

INTRODUCTION 

Spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a leading cause of long-

term disability in the United States with the majority of 

injuries resulting in incomplete quadriplegia due to 

cervical lesions.1 This leads to significant neurological 

impairment including upper extremity (UE) weakness 

and decreased independence with self-care activities of 

daily living (ADLs). Previous work demonstrated that 

using a myoelectric elbow-wrist-hand orthosis as a 

therapeutic adjunct to a multi-week rehabilitation 

regimen resulted in decreased UE motor impairment and 

increased function in stroke survivors with moderate UE 

hemiparesis.2 The purpose of this case study was to 

determine if wearing a myoelectric elbow-wrist-hand 

orthosis reduces upper extremity motor impairment and 

increases functional ability in an individual with chronic, 

incomplete spinal cord injury and resultant quadriplegia. 

METHODS 

The current findings come from a case study involving a 

49- year-old male with chronic (>4 years post-injury), 

traumatic SCI at the C4-C5 level. As a result of his injury, 

he presented with severe, bilateral upper extremity 

paresis and was completely dependent for all ADLs prior 

to this study. He was provided with a custom-fit MyoPro 

2.0 Motion-G upper extremity orthosis to facilitate return 

to independence with basic self-care activities such as 

feeding and grooming. After receiving the orthosis, he 

completed three sessions with an occupational therapist 

and was then instructed on a home exercise program 

(HEP) to continue making progress toward his goals. 

Approximately one month after receiving his orthosis, he 

was re-assessed by his occupational therapist on a variety 

of self-care activities as well as physical abilities such as 

UE active range of motion, strength, and spasticity. 

RESULTS 

The subject demonstrated significant improvements in 

self- feeding tasks while wearing the MyoPro 2.0 

Motion-G orthosis, progressing from requiring total 

assistance to requiring setup to don the orthosis. He also 

demonstrated significant improvements in active range 

of motion (Before: 0 degrees active elbow flexion against 

gravity; With Orthosis: 100 degrees active-assisted 

elbow flexion against gravity) and decreased muscle 

spasms when wearing the myoelectric orthosis. All of 

these results were recorded after 32 days with three 

occupational therapy sessions and 15 self-directed 

sessions (approximately every other day) wearing the 

orthosis at home. 

 

Figure 1. MyoPro 2.0 Motion-G Upper Extremity Orthosis.1 

 

CONCLUSION 

This case study is the first published research 

demonstrating the functional and clinical utility of a 

myoelectric upper extremity orthosis to improve elbow 

and hand function. These findings indicate that this may 

be a promising orthosis for increased function and quality 

of life for individuals with chronic SCI and resultant 

quadriplegia. 

SIGNIFICANCE 

Prior to this work, the majority of published research 

using myoelectric orthoses for upper extremity 

impairment has been in stroke and brachial plexus injury. 

This is one of the first documented cases of the functional 

utility of a myoelectric orthosis for individuals with 

traumatic spinal cord injury with resultant quadriplegia. 

This case study shows promising evidence that a 

mailto:lauren.wengerd@osumc.edu
https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32021


 

 

 Wengerd L. FUNCTIONAL UTILITY OF WEARING A MYOELECTRIC ORTHOSIS FOR UPPER EXTREMITY PARALYSIS DUE TO SPINAL CORD INJURY.  CANADIAN PROSTHETICS & 
ORTHOTICS JOURNAL, VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2, 2018; ABSTRACT, POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE AOPA’S 101ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, SEPT. 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018.  DOI: 
https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v1i2.32021     

2 

 
OPEN  ACCESS 

 

AOPA’S 101 ST NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ABSTRACTS, SEPTEMBER 26-29, VANCOUVER, CANADA, 2018 
 

ABSTRACT (POSTER PRESENTATION) 

myoelectric upper extremity orthosis may increase 

function and quality of life for individuals with SCI. 

REFERENCES 

1.Sekhon, L. H., Fehlings, M. G. Epidemiology, 

demographics, and pathophysiology of acute spinal cord 

injury. Spine. 2001; 26(24S), S2-S12. 

2.Peters, H. T., Page, S. J., Persch, A. Giving Them a Hand: 

Wearing a Myoelectric Elbow-Wrist- Hand Orthosis Reduces 

Upper Extremity Impairment in Chronic Stroke. Archives of 

physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2017; 98(9), 1821-1827. 

DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2016.12.016 

DISCLOSURE 

The author of this work is a Clinical Consultant for Myomo, 

Inc. in addition to her primary role as a PhD student at The 

Ohio State University. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

This work was funded by Myomo, Inc. 

 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2016.12.016