A Systematic Review Of Devices That Measure And Improve Grip Strength Through Telerehabilitation (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Grip strength is a vital hand function skill required to perform everyday tasks. Diseases and conditions deteriorate grip strength. Repetitive exercises can improve grip strength, but people are non-compliant with home exercise programs. Gamification of exercises can increase home exercise compliance. A device is needed to measure and rehabilitate grip strength remotely to deliver exercises remotely. A preliminary search on that topic did not provide any review literature on grip strength devices. OBJECTIVE We aim to systematically review the various electronic devices and sensors used to measure grip strength. METHODS We searched five electronic databases - PubMed, IEEE, Scopus, ACM digital library, and Web of Science. We adapted Barbara and Kitchenham's modified PRISMA guidelines and used PICO to identify keywords and framed research questions. RESULTS The search yielded 3546 articles, and after elimination, we included 15 articles for the review. CONCLUSIONS We surveyed various devices and sensors that measure grip strength and their capabilities for wireless communication and gamification.