Abstract
This study aimed to identify the most effective type of upper extremity orthosis in aiding self-feeding in quadriplegic patients with high cervical injuries by comparing a portable spring balancer and a mobile arm support. A single-subject A-B-C-B-C design was used in the study, in which a subject was tested at baseline (A) followed by alternate use of a portable spring balancer (B) and a mobile arm support (C) for two rounds. Four subjects were requested to eat yogurt with the aid of one of the devices. The amount of yogurt consumed was compared between the two devices. Three of four subjects were able to eat much more the yogurt with portable spring balancer than with the mobile arm support. Only one subject used the mobile arm support more effectively than the portable spring balancer. The subjects’ physical condition, specifically, muscle strength of the upper arm and tolerance appeared to be factors that influence how patients adapt to these devices. In conclusion, both the portable spring balancer and mobile arm support are effective feeding aids for quadriplegic patients with high cervical injuries. These orthoses function differently for patients with different physical characteristics.
