Abstract
Therapeutic management of brachial plexus injuries remains complex. The impact of brachial plexus injuries on everyday human functioning should not be underestimated. Early active-assisted range of motion following such injuries may prevent myostatic contractures, minimize muscle atrophy, facilitate muscle fiber recruitment, and enable a faster return to baseline strength levels. The dynamic assist elbow flexion orthosis proposed is designed to provide patients with a graded system for muscle reeducation and function. No clinical data are currently available on the use of this orthosis design; however, this article presents a treatment option based on sound clinical reasoning to facilitate rehabilitation following this devastating injury.
Keywords
brachial plexus injury - reconstructive nerve surgery - dynamic orthosis
