ABSTRACT

Objective: The objective of this study is to review the literature on the effect of upper limb rehabilitation robot therapy on functional recovery in children with upper limb motor disorders and to determine the effect through a meta-analysis. Methods: Data were collected using an overseas search engine. The main search terms were ‘Upper extremity,’ ‘Robotic,’ ‘Rehabilitation,’ and ‘Child.’ Among the studies published from January 2010 to December 2020, 22 papers suitable for the selection criteria were selected and analyzed. Results: Qualitative and quantitative meta-analyses of the study, the types of upper limb rehabilitation robots, and the measurement tools used before and after robot treatment were analyzed. The upper limb rehabilitation robot therapy on children with upper limb movement disorders was found to have a “big effect” and was statistically significant (p < .05). Conclusion: It was found that the treatment of the upper limb rehabilitation robot for children with upper limb movement disorders was effective in recovering their function regardless of the type of robot. This could be an objective basis as a treatment method for upper limb rehabilitation treatment in children in clinical practice.