None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Up to 50% of stroke survivors are left with upper limb disability that limits their daily activities. Several studies have established that recovery of function post stroke is maximised by active, repetitive use of the involved limb in task oriented training programs. Unfortunately for many stroke survivors, the degree of hemiparesis (or paralysis) is so severe that they are unable to generate enough strength to be involved in exercise training. To address this, a low cost, non-robotic training device (The SMART Arm) was developed by the investigators to provide a smooth and guided track to make reaching easier in people with severe weakness. Using the device with and without triggered electrical stimulation has led to improvements in function and strength in chronic stroke survivors. The current study aims to investigate the ability of the SMART arm with and without triggered stimulation to improve arm impairment, activity and participation in acute stroke survivors.
Interventions
Intervention group 1 - will undergo 30mins of SMART arm training + 30mins of usual care, 5 times per week, for 4 weeks. SMART arm training will involve the patient performing repetitive, incremental goal-oriented reaching tasks in sitting. Participants will be instructed to push along a linear slide to achieve full range elbow extension at a comfortable speed while receiving real-time visual feedback of performance. Each participant will perform consecutive movement trials for 30 minutes per ses
Intervention group 1 - will undergo 30mins of SMART arm training + 30mins of usual care, 5 times per week, for 4 weeks. SMART arm training will involve the patient performing repetitive, incremental goal-oriented reaching tasks in sitting. Participants will be instructed to push along a linear slide to achieve full range elbow extension at a comfortable speed while receiving real-time visual feedback of performance. Each participant will perform consecutive movement trials for 30 minutes per session. Usual care will involve occupational therapy and physiotherapy intervention aimed to improve function and reduce impairments, performed by their treating therapist. It is likely to incorporate task-oriented activities with manual assistance given if the participant is unable to perform independently. Intervention group 2 - will undergo 30mins of SMART arm training with triggered electrical stimulation + 30mins of usual care, 5 times per week, for 4 weeks. In this group, the SMART arm reaching tasks will be performed whilst electrical stimulation of triceps is provided concurrently.
Sponsors
The University of Queensland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Individuals will be included if they: have a diagnosis of first ever stroke which occurred within 3mths of the initial test date, be unable to independently perform a standardised reaching task, and be admitted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) or QEII hospitals, Brisbane Australia.
Exclusion criteria
Individuals will be excluded if they have co-morbidities relating to the upper extremity that limit function, such as arthritis, brain injury, Parkinson disease or are unable to tolerate stimulation (e.g. due to hypersensitivity or a skin condition); if they are medically unstable; or are unable to understand the instructions or provide informed consent.
Outcome results
None listed