Digital Technology-Informed Stroke Rehabilitation

Purpose

The goal of this study is to determine the effects of lab and home-based technology guidance during movement training post-stroke. The study will compare movement training informed by lab-based technology to training delivered with technology at home. The main questions it aims to answer are: - How well do lab and home-based technologies help individuals post-stroke improve their movement patterns? - Is there a difference in improvement between the in-lab and at-home training groups? - Which technologies lead to the most improvement?

Condition

  • Stroke

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 30 Years and 85 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age between 30-85 years. - Diagnosis of stroke. - Stroke onset of at least six months prior to the time of participation. - Fugl Meyer Upper Extremity between 30-50 (mild-moderate) - Cognitive skills to consent and actively participate, as indicated by scores of ≥ 24 on the Mini- Mental Status Examination - Able to visit lab up to 5x per week for 3 weeks

Exclusion Criteria

  • Presence of severe aphasia preventing the ability to follow 1-step directions at least 80% of the time. - Excessive spasticity of the wrist, elbow, and shoulder, defined as a Modified Ashworth Score >2. - Diagnosis of neurological disorders other than stroke. - Orthopedic/musculoskeletal conditions (e.g., severe arthritis) affecting the upper extremity. - Currently or planning to become pregnant. - Participation in concurrent occupational therapy. - Unilateral neglect, defined as failure of the Line Bisection Task - Upper extremity pain >= 7/10 on Numeric Rating Scale

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
At-Home Training 		Participants will train at-home.
  • Other: Home-based movement guidance
    Participants will receive computer-generated guidance on how to perform different activities of daily living efficiently. This guidance will be delivered using home-based technologies, such as a computer or tablet.
Experimental
In-Lab Training 		Participants will train in the lab.
  • Other: Lab-based movement guidance
    Participants will receive computer-generated guidance on how to perform different activities of daily living efficiently. The guidance will be delivered using lab-based sensing and feedback technology.

Recruiting Locations

Kennecott Mechanical Engineering Building
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
Contact:
Scott Uhlrich, PhD

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Utah

Study Contact

Samantha McNeill
(385) 215-9146‬
samantha.mcneill@utah.edu

Detailed Description

The study is a randomized, controlled feasibility trial investigating rehabilitation to improve movement patterns after stroke. The study will recruit participants who have had a stroke that led to upper-extremity impairment. Individuals will be assigned to one of two digital technology-guided groups. One group will be guided through exercises in a home-based setting, the other will be lab-based. Participants will engage in training sessions multiple days a week for up to 6 weeks, either in-lab or at home. Both groups will visit the lab weekly for movement assessments.