Feasibility of Video Gaming Technology for Arm Recovery Early Post-stroke

This study explores a protocolized approach to high-dosed, video-game-based arm training in addition to standard of care rehabilitation in the acute/sub-acute phase of stroke recovery. Patients admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital rehabilitation unit or the Brain Rescue Unit with new unilateral upper limb weakness as a result of the patient's sequela will be considered for enrollment. Once consented, participants will be seen 4-5 days per week for up to 60 minutes of additional arm training using gaming technology. Participant response to training will be measured before and after the intervention and function and impairment level will be measured pre and post the training protocol. Participants will be expected to participate in the training protocol for the duration of the hospital stay.

The study involves patients who were already hospitalized at a large teaching institution in Maryland. Participants were screened for eligibility on admission to the hospital. If eligible, the patient was screened in person to determine if he/she was able to follow a 1 step functional command and for willingness to participate. Once agreeable, patients and/or the patient's surrogate decision makers were consented to enroll into the study. Patients were included if a stroke was confirmed by CT or MRI with subsequent unilateral upper extremity weakness (as defined as change in functional use of extremity from baseline or difference in Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) score from unaffected side to affected side). Patients were excluded if unable to sit upright for at least 5 minutes in a chair without arm support, unable to follow 1 step functional commands or had a vision impairment that impeded seeing the television screen. Patients were also excluded if the patient had medical instability as defined by the care provider, orthopedic range of motion precautions including, but not limited to: no active range of motion or weight bearing of the target extremity, heart conditions that limits participation in exercise, active seizures or epilepsy or the inability to communicate pain status.

Once consented, baseline assessments are administered and include the FM-UE and dynamometry. The patients are stratified to a gaming technology based on the baseline FM-UE score. Patients with a FM-UE less than 25 are placed in the Bimanual Arm Training group. During the treatment session, the patients are monitored for tolerance of the session using pre and post vitals including Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and pulse oximetry. Pre/post pain and fatigue ratings are also maintained using a 10 point-likert scale. Trained clinicians gathered session start and end time. Technological difficulties and other interruptions are documented. Adverse events are gathered and include any swelling or bruising, cut/scratch/irritations, and new numbness or tingling. Intervention clinicians use a detailed stopping criteria to monitor the patient for tolerance and participation in the target time on task. The subjects receive intervention daily outside of the subject's regularly scheduled therapy for the 4-5 days a week (pending clinician availability) for the length of the hospital stay.

On the day of or day prior to discharge, FM-UE and dynamometry is gathered again. Qualitative post-intervention outcome measures are gathered for and included a survey of the patient's experience using a Likert-Scale based questionnaire, a Technology Acceptance Model survey (examines the patient's experience using technology and breaks it down into previously defined domains: Perceived Ease of Use (PEU), Perceived Usefulness (PU), Attitude Toward Using (ATU), Behavioral Intention to Use (BIU), and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI).

Inclusion criteria

• Admitted to Meyer 7 inpatient rehabilitation unit (CIIRP) or Zayed 12 West (12W) Brain Rescue Unit (BRU)
• Unilateral upper extremity weakness (as defined as change in functional use of extremity from baseline or difference in MMT score from unaffected side to affected side)

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to sit upright for at least 3 minutes
• Unable to follow 1 step commands
• Vision impairment that impedes seeing the television screen
• Medical instability as defined by the care provider
• Orthopedic range of motion precautions including, but not limited to: no active range of motion or weight bearing of the target extremity
• Heart condition that limits participation in exercise
• Active seizures or epilepsy
• Inability to communicate pain status