Article

Background Compensatory movements are commonly employed by stroke survivors, and
their use can have negative effects on motor recovery. Current practices to
reduce them rely on strapping a person to a chair. The use of technology to
substitute or supplement this methodology has not being thoroughly investigated.
Objective To compare the use of Scores + Visual + Force and Visual + Force
feedback for reducing trunk compensation. Methods Fourteen hemiparetic stroke
survivors performed bimanual reaching movements while receiving feedback on trunk
compensation. Participants held onto two robotic arms and performed movements in
the anterior/posterior direction toward a target displayed on a monitor. A
motion-tracking camera tracked trunk compensation; the robots provided force
feedback; the monitor displayed the visual feedback and scores. Kinematic
variables, a post-test questionnaire, and system usability were analyzed. Results
Both conditions reduced trunk compensation from baseline: Scores + Visual +
Force: 51.7% (40.8), p = 0.000; Visual + Force: 55.2% (40.9), p = 0.000. No
statistically significant difference was found between modalities. Secondary
outcome measures were not improved. Most participants would like to receive game
scores to reduce trunk compensation, and the usability of the system was rated
"Good." Conclusions Multimodal feedback about stroke survivors' trunk
compensation levels resulted in reduced trunk displacement. No difference between
feedback modalities was obtained. The positive effects of including game scores
might not have been observed in a short-term intervention. Longer studies should
investigate if the use of game scores could result in trunk compensation
improvements when compared to trunk restraint strategies. Clinical Trial
Registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02912923,
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02912923?term=reaching+in+stroke&rank=2 .

Langue : ANGLAIS