Feasibility study into self-administered training at home using an arm and hand device with motivational gaming environment in chronic stroke

This is so goddamned stupid. We have dozens if not hundreds of research articles on arm recovery. All we need is for our fucking failures of stroke associations to put them all together into publicly available stroke protocols. But NO, they would rather just pump out another press release. This is precisely why the complete stroke leadership needs to be destroyed. They are failing at their jobs and making our possible recovery harder.
If you can't do your job, resign and if we had boards of directors that wanted to help survivors they would be firing the staff that isn't helping survivors.
What the hell is it going to take for the stroke world to face up to their failures? Charging $1,000 for every neuron lost? That would be 1.9 billion a minute.

http://www.jneuroengrehab.com/content/12/1/89/abstract

Sharon M. Nijenhuis^12*, Gerdienke B. Prange¹², Farshid Amirabdollahian³, Patrizio Sale⁴, Francesco Infarinato⁴, Nasrin Nasr⁵, Gail Mountain⁵, Hermie J. Hermens¹⁶, Arno H. A. Stienen²⁷, Jaap H. Buurke¹⁶ and Johan S. Rietman¹²⁸

• * Corresponding author: Sharon M Nijenhuis s.nijenhuis@rrd.nl

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Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 2015, 12:89  doi:10.1186/s12984-015-0080-y
Published: 9 October 2015

Abstract

Background

Assistive and robotic training devices are increasingly used for rehabilitation of the hemiparetic arm after stroke, although applications for the wrist and hand are trailing behind. Furthermore, applying a training device in domestic settings may enable an increased training dose of functional arm and hand training. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility and potential clinical changes associated with a technology-supported arm and hand training system at home for patients with chronic stroke.

Methods

A dynamic wrist and hand orthosis was combined with a remotely monitored user interface with motivational gaming environment for self-administered training at home. Twenty-four chronic stroke patients with impaired arm/hand function were recruited to use the training system at home for six weeks. Evaluation of feasibility involved training duration, usability and motivation. Clinical outcomes on arm/hand function, activity and participation were assessed before and after six weeks of training and at two-month follow-up.

Results

Mean System Usability Scale score was 69 % (SD 17 %), mean Intrinsic Motivation Inventory score was 5.2 (SD 0.9) points, and mean training duration per week was 105 (SD 66) minutes. Median Fugl-Meyer score improved from 37 (IQR 30) pre-training to 41 (IQR 32) post-training and was sustained at two-month follow-up (40 (IQR 32)). The Stroke Impact Scale improved from 56.3 (SD 13.2) pre-training to 60.0 (SD 13.9) post-training, with a trend at follow-up (59.8 (SD 15.2)). No significant improvements were found on the Action Research Arm Test and Motor Activity Log.

Conclusions

Remotely monitored post-stroke training at home applying gaming exercises while physically supporting the wrist and hand showed to be feasible: participants were able and motivated to use the training system independently at home. Usability shows potential, although several usability issues need further attention. Upper extremity function and quality of life improved after training, although dexterity did not. These findings indicate that home-based arm and hand training with physical support from a dynamic orthosis is a feasible tool to enable self-administered practice at home. Such an approach enables practice without dependence on therapist availability, allowing an increase in training dose with respect to treatment in supervised settings.