Exercises for paretic upper limb after stroke: a combined virtual-reality and telemedicine approach.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Telerehabilitation enables a remotely controlled programme to be used to treat motor deficits in post-stroke patients. The effects of this telerehabilitation approach were compared with traditional motor rehabilitation methods. DESIGN: Randomized single-blind controlled trial. PATIENTS: A total of 36 patients with mild arm motor impairments due to ischaemic stroke in the region of the middle cerebral artery. METHODS: The experimental treatment was a virtual reality-based system delivered via the Internet, which provided motor tasks to the patients from a remote rehabilitation facility. The control group underwent traditional physical therapy for the upper limb. Both treatments were of 4 weeks duration. All patients were assessed one month prior to therapy, at the commencement and termination of therapies and one month post-therapy, with the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity, the ABILHAND and the Ashworth scales. RESULTS: Both rehabilitative therapies significantly improved all outcome scores after treatment, but only the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity scale showed differences in the comparison between groups. CONCLUSION: Both strategies were effective, but the experimental approach induced better outcomes in motor performance. These results may favour early discharge from hospital sustained by a telerehabilitation programme, with potential beneficial effects on the use of available resources.

Author information

Author/s: Piron, Lamberto (L); Turolla, Andrea (A); Agostini, Michela (M); Zucconi, Carla (C); Cortese, Feliciana (F); Zampolini, Mauro (M); Zannini, Mara (M); Dam, Mauro (M); Ventura, Laura (L); Battauz, Michela (M); Tonin, Paolo (P);

Affiliation: 1IRCCS San Camillo Hospital Venezia, Venezia, Italy. pironl(-atsign-)tin.it

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal: Journal of rehabilitation medicine : official journal of the UEMS European Board of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (J Rehabil Med), published in Sweden. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Nov; vol 41 (issue 12) : pp 1016-102

Dates: Created 2009/10/20; Completed 2009/10/27;

PMID: 19841835, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/27/2009, IMS Date: )

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