ABSTRACT
Objective To apply the Baltimore Therapeutic Equipment (BTE), a kind of vocational training and evaluation system, in rehabilitaion of patients post traumatic upper extremity injury from work, and to observe the effects. Methods Inpatients from September, 2014 to August, 2015 for rehabilitation of traumatic upper extremity injury from work were selected as control group (n=42), and inpatients from September, 2015 to August, 2016 were selected as intervention group (n=36). Both groups received routine rehabilitation, while the control group received con-ventional work simulation training, and the intervention group received work simulation training with BTE, for four weeks. They were measured the standing lifting strength (elbow), squatting lifting strength, dynamic lifting strength (floor to waist), dynamic lifting strength (floor to shoulder), and grip strength of the injured hand and the healthy hand with BTE, before and after rehabilitation; while they were assessed with Disability of Arm Shoul-der and Hand (DASH). The incidence of return to work was investigated at six months of follow-up. Results The standing lifting strength (elbow) (t=4.290, P<0.001), squatting lifting strength (t=2.645, P=0.010), dynamic lifting strength (floor to waist) (t=2.639, P=0.010), dynamic lifting strength (floor to shoulder) (t=5.361, P<0.001), and grip strength of the injured hand (t=2.320, P=0.023) and the healthy hand (t=3.130, P=0.002) im-proved better in the intervention group than in the control group after rehabilitation. However, there was no sig-nificant difference between two groups in score of DASH (t=-0.851, P=0.398), as well as incidence of return to work (χ2=0.05, P=0.944). Conclusion BTE may help to improve the body function in patients post traumatic upper extremity injury from work. However, vocational rehabilitation should focus on the factors other than body function, to improve their return to work.