Effects of virtual reality-based planar motion exercises on upper extremity function, range of motion, and health-related quality of life: a multicenter, single-blinded, randomized, controlled pilot study

Maybe you want your doctor and hospital to get this. You will have to do all the work; find the protocol, get the apparatus. Your doctor and stroke hospital won't even know this exists. Ask if they have a staff person assigned to implementing stroke research into interventions. If not, the stroke department head, the hospital president and the board of directors all need to be fired for incompetency.  You wouldn't allow any other company to not know what is going on in their industry for their consumers.

Effects of virtual reality-based planar motion exercises on upper extremity function, range of motion, and health-related quality of life: a multicenter, single-blinded, randomized, controlled pilot study

• Mina Park,
• Myoung-Hwan Ko,
• Sang-Wook Oh,
• Ji-Yeong Lee,
• Yeajin Ham,
• Hyoseok Yi,
• Younggeun Choi,
• Dokyeong Ha &
• Joon-Ho Shin

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation volume 16, Article number: 122 (2019) | Download Citation

Abstract

Background

Virtual reality (VR)-based rehabilitation is considered a beneficial therapeutic option for stroke rehabilitation. This pilot study assessed the clinical feasibility of a newly developed VR-based planar motion exercise apparatus (Rapael Smart Board™ [SB]; Neofect Inc., Yong-in, Korea) for the upper extremities as an intervention and assessment tool.

Methods

This single-blinded, randomized, controlled trial included 26 stroke survivors. Patients were randomized to the intervention group (SB group) or control (CON) group. During one session, patients in the SB group completed 30 min of intervention using the SB and an additional 30 min of standard occupational therapy; however, those in the CON group completed the same amount of conventional occupational therapy. The primary outcome was the change in the Fugl–Meyer assessment (FMA) score, and the secondary outcomes were changes in the Wolf motor function test (WMFT) score, active range of motion (AROM) of the proximal upper extremities, modified Barthel index (MBI), and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) score. A within-group analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and a between-group analysis was performed using a repeated measures analysis of covariance. Additionally, correlations between SB assessment data and clinical scale scores were analyzed by repeated measures correlation. Assessments were performed three times (baseline, immediately after intervention, and 1 month after intervention).

Results

All functional outcome measures (FMA, WMFT, and MBI) showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the SB and CON groups. AROM showed greater improvements in the SB group, especially regarding shoulder abduction and internal rotation. There was a significant effect of time × group interactions for the SIS overall score (p = 0.038). Some parameters of the SB assessment, such as the explored area ratio, mean reaching distance, and smoothness, were significantly associated with clinical upper limb functional measurements with moderate correlation coefficients.

Trial registration

The study was registered with the clinical research information service (CRIS) (KCT0003783, registered 15 April 2019; retrospectively registered).