Optimized Home Rehabilitation Technology Reduces Upper Extremity Impairment Compared to a Conventional Home Exercise Program: A Randomized, Controlled, Single-Blind Trial in Subacute Stroke. (January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Swanson, Veronica A.; Johnson, Christopher; Zondervan, Daniel K.; Bayus, Nicole; McCoy, Phylicia; Ng, Yat Fung Joshua; Schindele, BS, Jenna; Reinkensmeyer, David J.; Shaw, Susan
• Is Part Of: Neurorehabilitation & neural repair. Volume 37:Number 1(2023)
• Page Start: 53
• Page End: 65
• Publication Date: 2023-01
• Subjects: stroke -- rehabilitation -- exercise therapy -- home exercise program -- FitMi -- mRehab -- sensors; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Brain damage -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Spinal cord -- Wounds and injuries -- Patients -- Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Regeneration -- Periodicals; Neuroplasticity -- Periodicals; 616.804305
• DOI: 10.1177/15459683221146995
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-9683

Abstract

Background: Upper extremity (UE) stroke rehabilitation requires patients to perform exercises at home, yet patients show limited benefit from paper-based home exercise programs. Objective: To compare the effectiveness of 2 home exercise programs for reducing UE impairment: a paper-based approach and a sensorized exercise system that incorporates recommended design features for home rehabilitation technology. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 27 participants in the subacute phase of stroke were assigned to the sensorized exercise (n = 14) or conventional therapy group (n = 13), though 2 participants in the conventional therapy group were lost to follow-up. Participants were instructed to perform self-guided movement training at home for at least 3 hours/week for 3 consecutive weeks. The sensorized exercise group used FitMi, a computer game with 2 puck-like sensors that encourages movement intensity and auto-progresses users through 40 exercises. The conventional group used a paper book of exercises. The primary outcome measure was the change in Upper Extremity Fugl–Meyer (UEFM) score from baseline to follow-up. Secondary measures included the Modified Ashworth Scale for spasticity (MAS) and the Visual Analog Pain (VAP) scale. Results: Participants who used FitMi improved by an average of 8.0 ± 4.6 points on the UEFM scale compared to 3.0 ± 6.1 points for the conventional participants, a significant difference ( t -test, P = .029). FitMi participants exhibited no significant changes in UE MAS or VAP scores. Conclusions: A sensor-based exercise system incorporating a suite of recommended design features significantly and safely reduced UE impairment compared to a paper-based, home exercise program. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03503617