Telerehabilitation Proves Effective at Restoring Arm Function After Stroke

In-home telerehabilitation was proven to be just as effective as clinic-based therapy at restoring arm function after a stroke according to late-breaking science presented at the AHA/ASA International Stroke Conference 2019 in Honolulu, HI. 

“Many patients receive suboptimal rehabilitation therapy doses after stroke due to limited access to therapists and difficulty with transportation,” said the study’s lead author Steven C. Cramer, MD, MMSc, a professor of neurology, anatomy & neurobiology, and physical medicine & rehabilitation at University of California, Irvine. “This can be addressed by telehealth, which enables patients to access high doses of rehabilitation therapy in their home.”

The trial consisted of 124 stroke survivors aged an average 61 years at 11 US StrokeNet Clinical Trial Network sites. The randomized, assessor-blinded, noninferior trial called for its patients to undergo 6 weeks of intense rehabilitation therapy that targeted arm weakness through either the telerehabilitation system or in a traditional clinical setting. 

“A computer-based telerehabilitation system delivered to patient’s homes uses ‘game-ified’ therapy activities, exercises and educational sessions (such as ‘Stroke Jeopardy’). Therapists can assess progress via videoconference. In clinic-based therapy, patients drive to the clinic and perform standard exercises and therapeutic activities with a therapist without a computer and without game-ification of these activities,” Dr Cramer explained.

“We demonstrated that home-based telehealth methods provide comparable benefits to traditional in-clinic methods,” Dr Cramer said. “In the future, telehealth approaches to post-stroke rehabilitation might help patients reduce disability by accessing large doses of therapy.” —Edan Stanley