[POSTER] Delivery of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Through a Video Game for Individuals with Hemiparesis Post-Stroke

Purpose: Although effective treatments for motor disability have been developed for the 325,000 people each year who experience hemiparesis post-stroke, these individuals are underserved by the current rehabilitation system. For example, constraint-induced movement therapy (CI therapy) is a “gold standard” therapy, yet less than 1% of those who could benefit are offered the opportunity to receive the treatment. To address this disparity, our research team developed a 3D gaming system (using Microsoft Kinect) to deliver CI therapy in individuals’ homes. Reported here are the results of a pilot study testing the feasibility and initial efficacy of an in-home gaming model of CI therapy.

Methods: Two participants were instructed to play the game for a target 30 hours over the course of two weeks and received five one-hour consultation sessions with a therapist. Consistent with traditional CI therapy, participants wore a mitt on the less affected hand for approximately 10 hours per day to promote use of the more affected hand for daily activities.

Results: Participants played for 21.37 hours and 33.15 hours, respectively, totaling 24,467 and 61,147 movement repetitions. Participants showed clinically meaningful improvements on a highly standardized test of speed of movement (change in Wolf Motor Function Test rate metric=5.50 and 11.71).

Conclusion: This research provides strong evidence of feasibility and preliminary evidence of efficacy of an in-home gaming delivery model of CI therapy. This work could provide an engaging platform for addressing many of the barriers to quality upper extremity rehabilitation post-stroke.

via Delivery of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Through a Video Game for Individuals with Hemiparesis Post-Stroke.