University of Sheffield Trials Innovative Device to Help Stroke Patients Recover Arm Strength

A groundbreaking trial, to test a device designed to help people regain arm strength after a stroke, is being led by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

People who’ve had a stroke from six months to 10 years ago are invited to test the portable, pacemaker-like device which scientists hope will be a game-changer for those with arm weakness. The device delivers electrical pulses to damaged areas of the brain via a connected earpiece and could significantly improve hand and arm function in people who have had a stroke.

Each year, around 110,000 people in the UK have a stroke, with many left facing challenges that limit their independence. Everyday tasks—like brushing teeth, cooking, or even pushing a supermarket trolley—can become increasingly difficult, profoundly impacting quality of life. More than 36,500 people in the UK every year are left with permanent arm weakness after a stroke.

The Triceps trial, which is being led by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is being funded by a Medical Research Council and National Institute for Health and Care Research partnership, with additional funding from. the Stroke Association and Association of British Neurologists. The trial began in November 2023 and will involve around 240 patients.

Patient Phil Herbert is among the 100+ patients to have joined the innovative nerve stimulation trial so far.

He said he was “noticing a difference already” and had “more movement..[to]…open and close kitchen cupboards.”

By the end of the trial, Phil, who never regained movement in his right arm following a stroke three years ago, hoped to see improved function in his affected hand and arm: “I still can’t use my fingers, so I can’t hold a pen or type with my right hand, but I’m hoping that by the end of the trial, I may be able to use my fingers more – that’s my goal.”

Professor Arshad Majid, a Consultant Neurologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, and professor of neurology at the University of Sheffield, who is leading the trial, said: ‘Arm weakness after a stroke impacts on all aspects of living and it’s a significant problem for those who survive a stroke.

“The main advantage is that unlike the earlier trial, it’s a non-invasive treatment.

“The patient doesn’t need to come into the hospital and can do the therapy in their own home. They are given exercises to do and we check in on them every two weeks by video call.’

The trial is being supported by the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre and will continue to recruit patients from 19 centres across England and Wales for another year.

It involves stimulating a key nerve called the vagus nerve, using a wearable device which connects to a wired earpiece. Leads from the device connect to a tiny earpiece that transmits the gentle current into the nerve in the ear. It’s thought the device improves the transmission of nerve signals from the brain to the arm, telling it when and how to move.

Results from previous studies suggest stimulating the nerve at the same time as the patient tries to move the affected arm can restore electrical signals and, in turn, reduce arm weakness.