Rehabilitation for Ulnar Nerve Palsy

The ulnar nerve is what creates the shock-like sensation when you hit the funny bone in your elbow. You may lose sensation and have muscle weakness in your hand if you damage your ulnar nerve. This is known as ulnar nerve palsy or ulnar neuropathy.

Entrapment of the ulnar nerve at the elbow (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome) and wrist (Guyon’s Canal Syndrome) happens as a result of repeated compression, leaning on the elbows or wrists (cyclist’s palsy), and prolonged elbow flexion. Trauma, edema, fractures, and vascular and skeletal pathologies/abnormalities can also cause it.

The symptoms associated with ulnar nerve palsy include:

• A loss of sensation in your hand, especially in your ring and little fingers.
• loss of coordination in your fingers.
• A tingling or burning sensation in your hand.
• Pain.
• Hand weakness may get worse with physical activity.
• A loss of grip strength.

Treatment for ulnar nerve entrapment depends on how severe the entrapment is.

In less severe situations, a doctor would most likely offer non-surgical therapy alternatives first. These may involve physical therapy activities (hand therapy exercises) to assist the nerve pass through the arm appropriately.

Home rehabilitation using rehabilitation equipment is becoming more and more common among Ulnar Nerve Palsy patients nowadays.  

To successfully accomplish these hand therapy exercises, the patient may need a professional robotic glove that will effectively help him achieve positive improvement in less time.

The robotic glove mobilizes finger joints and works both in flexion and extension. Even on a patient who has no active residual movement, it is possible to apply passive mobilization from the first stages of treatment.

What is also exciting about this robotic glove is that its software offers many possibilities for the customization of the therapy.

Furthermore, the Portable Stroke Rehabilitation Robotic Gloves: SIFREHAB-1.0 would amplify force in the direction the user tries to move (open or close fingers). In this way, it will restore the normal function as it will help it slide through the arm correctly.

The hand treatment gadget may also give resistance in the opposite direction to assist the user with movement stability or muscle tone exercise. The concept might be adopted for a wide range of users and demands, notably those with Ulnar Nerve Palsy.

SIFREHAB-1.0 and SIFREHAB-1.1 are pieces of home rehabilitation equipment that provide low-cost, safe, intense, and task-oriented rehabilitation through hand therapy activities.

These activities can help patients recover faster by allowing them to conduct their daily-living-activity functions at home. As a result, patients will be urged to purchase these rehabilitation gloves in order to acquire independence.

Reference: Ulnar Nerve Palsy (Dysfunction)