13 July 2026 · 6 min read
When the hand takes longest: technology for arm and hand rehabilitation
After a stroke or a brain injury, many patients regain the ability to walk faster than the function of the arm and hand. There is a neurological reason for this, and it does not mean that hand function deserves less attention. On the contrary: for independence in daily life, from getting dressed to cooking to writing, a functioning hand is often more decisive than any other area of progress.
Why the hand takes particularly long
Control of the fingers occupies a disproportionately large share of the cerebral cortex compared with larger muscle groups such as those of the leg. After an injury, fine motor connections have to be rebuilt, and this only succeeds through a very large number of very precise repetitions. This is exactly where classic one-on-one therapy reaches its limits: a therapist can only guide a limited number of finger movements by hand in a single session before time runs out.
Robotic finger training as a starting point
At Nextherapy we use, among other systems, Amadeo, the world’s first device able to train and assess all five fingers simultaneously. Patients work specifically on finger extension and flexion, the movements that are frequently most affected after a brain injury and most important for daily life. Amadeo adapts to the patient’s actual starting level, from purely passive guidance to active training against resistance. This makes the system valuable even when almost no hand function is present at the start of treatment.
The whole movement chain from shoulder to fingers
A functioning hand also needs a functioning arm behind it. With Pablo we therefore train the entire upper extremity as one continuous chain: from grip strength through wrist mobility to shoulder function. Precise sensor-based measurement makes progress objectively visible, so training can be continuously adjusted to the patient’s actual progress.
When movement and cognition come together
Hand rehabilitation is rarely a purely motor task. Attention, planning, and the interplay of sight and movement all play an equally important role. Myro therefore combines motor training of the upper extremity with cognitive demands within a single session, suitable for children as well as adults. For patients with pronounced residual paresis after a stroke or with complex regional pain syndrome, we additionally use the IVS3 by Dessintey in Zürich: an intensive visual simulation of movement that stimulates new motor pathways via the brain’s mirror neuron system, even in patients with very limited starting function.
What a session looks like and who it is suitable for
Every session begins with an assessment: the therapist measures strength, range of motion, and dexterity and selects the appropriate combination of devices. In St. Gallen, the TyroStation enables a seamless process, because assessment and several training devices are brought together at a single workstation, without set-up time between exercises. These technologies are used across a broad range of neurological conditions: after stroke, in brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and in children with cerebral palsy. How many repetitions and which devices make sense in an individual case is always determined by an individual assessment, not by a fixed scheme.
Cost and next step
Like our entire robot-assisted programme, we bill arm and hand therapy at the regular tariffs through your health, disability, accident, or military insurance. You incur no extra cost for the use of technology. If you would like to know which devices are suitable for your situation or your child’s, we are happy to start with a free pre-assessment in Zürich or St. Gallen and discuss your goals and insurance coverage openly with you.
The next step
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