Evaluating the Educational Experience of Physiotherapy Students Using the Fitness and Mobility Exercise (FAME) Programme to Learn about Neurological Conditions: An Exploratory Study.

Purpose: Group exercise has the potential to be a cost-effective way to improve functional outcomes for those living with neurological injury. Leading group exercise is a foundational competency for entry-to-practice for physiotherapy students. The overall objective of this study was to examine the student experience of using the Fitness and Mobility Exercise (FAME) programme to learn about neurological conditions in a group setting. Methods: Sixteen physiotherapy students filled out a single point in time survey at the end of their placement during which they had the opportunity to use FAME with their clients twice a week. The survey had Likert and open-ended questions and demographic information. Likert responses were calculated as means. Open-ended questions were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The Likert questions were answered with almost entirely positive results. The main themes from the open-ended questions were how to personalize the class, characteristics of individual clients shape the class experience and factors that make the class successful. Conclusions: Overall, the physiotherapy students found using FAME to be a positive experience. From the student perspective, using FAME during placement was an effective way to learn about neurological conditions as well as to develop skills to manage a group exercise class.

Objectif: les exercices de groupe ont le potentiel d'être un moyen rentable d'améliorer les résultats fonctionnels des personnes qui vivent avec une atteinte neurologique. La direction d'exercices de groupe est une compétence fondamentale d'accès à la pratique chez les étudiants en physiothérapie. L'objectif global de cette étude consistait à examiner l'expérience des étudiants à l'égard de l'utilisation du programme d'exercices pour la forme physique et la mobilité (FAME, d'après l'acronyme anglais Fitness and Mobility Exercise) et à en apprendre davantage sur les atteintes neurologiques dans un contexte de groupe. Méthodologie: au total, seize étudiants en physiothérapie ont rempli un seul sondage à la fin de leur stage, au cours duquel ils avaient pu utiliser le programme FAME deux fois par semaine avec leurs clients. Le sondage contenait des questions de type échelle de Likert, des questions ouvertes et des renseignements démographiques. Les chercheuses ont analysé les réponses de type échelle de Likert sous forme de moyennes et les questions ouvertes, sous forme d'analyse thématique. Résultats: les réponses aux questions de type échelle de Likert étaient presque toujours positives. Les principaux thèmes des questions ouvertes étaient comment personnaliser le cours, les caractéristiques des clients individuels façonnent l'expérience du cours et les facteurs qui font du cours une réussite. Conclusions: dans l'ensemble, les étudiants en physiothérapie ont trouvé que l'utilisation du programme FAME était une expérience positive. De l'avis des étudiants, l'utilisation du programme FAME pendant le stage était un moyen efficace d'en apprendre davantage au sujet des maladies neurologiques et d'acquérir des compétences pour gérer un cours d'exercice de groupe.

The use of virtual reality for activities of daily living rehabilitation after brain injury: A scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) experience high rates of poor functional outcomes such as inability to complete activities of daily living (ADL). Occupational therapy needs to be customised to the individual's function, goals, and environment to facilitate improvement in ADLs after ABI. Virtual reality (VR) is a novel treatment approach that aims to improve skills within an individualised environment. This study aimed to review the current literature for the use of VR platforms that incorporate ADLs to improve functional outcomes after ABI. METHODS: This review followed the six-stage framework by Arksey & O'Malley (2005). Electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: One thousand and six hundred eighty articles were screened, including 413 full text articles and 13 articles were included for review. Among the 13 articles, six were RCTs and the rest were pre-post intervention studies. Studies largely used non-immersive VR platforms, which incorporated ADLs such as grocery shopping, aiming to improve functional outcomes. CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY CONSULTATION: Consumer and community were not involved in executing this study. CONCLUSION: This review suggests mixed results if VR is effective at treating upper limb, cognition, and ADL function after ABI. Using their clinical reasoning, occupational therapists can determine the suitability of VR for ADL rehabilitation for specific patient populations and settings. Plain Language Summary Individuals who sustain an acquired brain injury can have difficulty performing their daily activities such as, making a meal or getting dressed, because of limited function (e.g., physical and cognitive problems). To help improve their ability to complete daily activities, occupational therapy needs to be customised to the individual's function, goals, and environment. Virtual reality is a new rehabilitation approach that allows individuals to improve their function in an individualised environment. In this study, we reviewed the current studies that have used virtual reality platforms that incorporate daily activities to improve function after acquired brain injury. We searched databases and screened the titles and abstracts of 1,680 studies. Then, 413 full-text studies were screened, and 13 studies were included. Studies mostly used non-immersive platforms to practise daily activities such as, grocery shopping, aiming to improve function after acquired brain injury. This review suggests mixed results if virtual reality can effectively treat function after acquired brain injury.

Female Enrollment in Rehabilitation Trials: A Systematic Review of Reporting Sex and Female Participation in Randomized Controlled Trials of Poststroke Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Over 50 Years.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess the reporting of sex and the percentage of female participants in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining interventions for the post-stroke rehabilitation of upper extremity (UE) motor disorders. DATA SOURCES: CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were searched from 1960 to April 1, 2021. Additional articles were identified using the Evidence-Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they (1) were RCTs or crossovers published in English, (2) ≥50% of participants were diagnosed and affected by stroke, (3) included adults ≥18 years old, and (4) applied an intervention to the hemiparetic UE as the primary objective of the study. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators independently screened the title and abstracts, and duplicates were removed. A full-text review was done for studies that met all inclusion criteria. Data were extracted using a custom data extraction template in Covidence and were transferred to online Excel (V16) for data management. Study characteristics and extracted variables were summarized using standard descriptive statistics. Data analyses were performed using SPSS (V29.0). DATA SYNTHESIS: A total of 1276 RCTs met inclusion criteria, and of these, 5.2% did not report results on sex, accounting for 5.6% of participants. Women have been underrepresented in stroke RCTs, accounting for 38.8% of participants. Female participation was greater in the acute poststroke phase than in the chronic and subacute phases. Over almost 5 decades, there has been a small decrease in the proportion of female participants in these trials. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence-based medicine for the treatment and prevention of stroke is guided by results from RCTs. Generalizability depends on sufficient representation in clinical trials. Stakeholders, such as funders and journal editors, play a key role in encouraging researchers to enroll enough of both sexes and to report the presence or absence of sex differences in RCTs.

Exploring the experiences of an exercise-based telerehabilitation program among Canadian community-dwelling adults with stroke.

PURPOSE: Telerehabilitation is emerging as a means for delivering stroke rehabilitation to address unmet lower extremity rehabilitation needs. However, there is currently limited and low-quality evidence supporting the use telerehabilitation interventions for lower extremity recovery after stroke. Thus, we developed an exercise-based telerehabilitation program (TRAIL) for safe and effective promotion of lower extremity function after stroke. This study reports on the qualitative findings from the feasibility study of the TRAIL program. METHODS: An interpretive description methodology and inductive thematic analysis approach were undertaken. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted on a subset of participants who completed the TRAIL feasibility study. Participants were recruited via email and enrolled into the study based on pre-determined purposeful sampling strategies. RESULTS: Ten participants (6 men, 4 women) completed a semi-structured interview. Two main themes emerged: (i) TRAIL ingredients for success and (ii) telerehabilitation is a viable option for stroke rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Exercise-based telerehabilitation appears to be well-received by men and women post-stroke when social support, professional guidance, and program resources are offered. TRAIL may also prolong the continuum of care that individuals receive once they are discharged back into the community, and contribute to improvements in mobility, lower extremity strength and balance.

Exercise-based telerehabilitation for individuals with stroke can be delivered safely when clinicians are trained, and social support and program resources are available.Exercise-based telerehabilitation may be viable and accessible for men and women with stroke to extend the opportunity for rehabilitation services within the first year post-event.Synchronously delivered telerehabilitation programs using user-friendly videoconference software is recommended for optimal participant satisfaction.

Understanding the experiences, needs, and strengths of people with incomplete spinal cord injury who can ambulate.

PURPOSE: To identify the experiences, needs, and strengths of people with incomplete spinal cord injury who can ambulate and to explore and discuss potential supports, services, and programs that would best assist them in the community. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this qualitative descriptive study, interviews were the primary means of data collection. These were supplemented with descriptive standardized measures of function and life satisfaction. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: Twenty-four participants were interviewed, their average age was 55 years and 46% were female. We identified three themes: 'I really couldn't go there', described the physical and social barriers experienced by participants, 'It'd be really nice to let the public know there are people out there like me' expressed the desire for greater social understanding of incomplete spinal cord injury, and 'I just don't quit', displayed the perseverance that participants demonstrated following their injury. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate service providers to improve the inclusion of ambulatory individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury in their programs. Suggestions include designing programs (community, healthcare, return to work, peer support), environments using the principles of universal design for people with incomplete spinal cord injury who ambulate, and increasing consideration of their perspectives.Implication for rehabilitation:People with incomplete spinal cord injury who can ambulate live with invisible impairments, which are often not acknowledged by family, friends, health professionals, and people with complete spinal cord injuryThey may feel excluded from activities (organized by spinal cord injury associations) that were originally designed for people with complete spinal cord injuryGreater awareness among health professionals, friends, family, and people with complete spinal cord injury of the needs of people with incomplete spinal cord injury who can ambulate is needed to increase their inclusion.

Investigating the Telerehabilitation With Aims to Improve Lower Extremity Recovery Poststroke Program: A Feasibility Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of a progressive virtual exercise and self-management intervention, the TeleRehabilitation with Aims to Improve Lower extremity recovery poststroke program (TRAIL), in individuals with stroke. METHODS: A single group pre-post study design was used. Thirty-two participants were recruited who were aged 19 years or older, had a stroke within 18 months of the beginning of the study, had hemiparesis of the lower extremity, and were able to tolerate 50 minutes of activity. Participants completed TRAIL, a synchronous exercise and self-management program delivered via videoconferencing. Participants received 8 telerehabilitation sessions over 4 weeks that were 60 to 90 minutes, with a trained physical therapist in a ≤2 to 1 participant-to-therapist ratio. Feasibility indicators in the areas of process (recruitment and retention rates, perceived satisfaction), resources (treatment fidelity and adherence, participant and assessor burden, therapist burden), management (equipment, processing time), and scientific indicators (safety, treatment response, treatment effect) were collected throughout the study using a priori criteria for success. The treatment effect was examined on the Timed "Up & Go" test, the virtual Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment, the 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test, the Functional Reach, the Tandem Stand, the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, the Stroke Impact Scale, and the Goal Attainment Scale. RESULTS: Forty-seven individuals were screened, of which 32 (78% male; median age of 64.5 years) were included for the study from 5 sites across Canada. Nine feasibility indicators met our study-specific threshold criteria for success: retention rate (0 dropouts), perceived satisfaction, treatment fidelity, adherence, therapist burden, equipment, and safety. In terms of treatment response and effect, improvements were observed in Timed "Up & Go" test (Cohen d = 0.57); Fugl-Meyer Lower Extremity Assessment (d = 0.76); 30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test (d = 0.89); and Goal Attainment Scale (d = 0.95). CONCLUSION: The delivery of TRAIL, a lower extremity stroke rehabilitation program using videoconferencing technology, is feasible and appears to have positive influences on mobility, lower extremity impairment, strength, and goal attainment. IMPACT: Community-based telerehabilitation programs, such as TRAIL, could extend the continuum of care during the transition back to community postdischarge or during global disruptions, such as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Delivery of synchronous lower extremity rehabilitation via videoconferencing to community-dwelling stroke survivors is feasible.

Task-oriented exercise effects on walking and corticospinal excitability in multiple sclerosis: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that disrupts walking function and results in other debilitating symptoms. This study compares the effects of 'task-oriented exercise' against 'generalized resistance and aerobic exercise' and a 'stretching control' on walking and CNS function in people with MS (PwMS). We hypothesize that task-oriented exercise will enhance walking speed and related neural changes to a greater extent than other exercise approaches. METHODS: This study is a single-blinded, three-arm randomized controlled trial conducted in Saskatchewan, Canada. Eligible participants are those older than 18 years of age with a diagnosis of MS and an expanded Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) score between 3 ('gait disability') and 6 ('bilateral support'). Exercise interventions are delivered for 12 weeks (3 × 60-min per week) in-person under the supervision of a qualified exercise professional. Interventions differ in exercise approach, such that task-oriented exercise involves weight-bearing, walking-specific activities, while generalized resistance and aerobic exercise uses seated machine-based resistance training of major upper and lower body muscle groups and recumbent cycling, and the stretching control exercise involves seated flexibility and relaxation activities. Participants are allocated to interventions using blocked randomization that stratifies by PDDS (mild: 3-4; moderate: 5-6). Assessments are conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at a six-week retention time point. The primary and secondary outcome measures are the Timed 25-Foot Walk Test and corticospinal excitability for the tibialis anterior muscles determined using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), respectively. Tertiary outcomes include assessments of balance, additional TMS measures, blood biomarkers of neural health and inflammation, and measures of cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness. DISCUSSION: A paradigm shift in MS healthcare towards the use of "exercise as medicine" was recently proposed to improve outcomes and alleviate the economic burden of MS. Findings will support this shift by informing the development of specialized exercise programming that targets walking and changes in corticospinal excitability in PwMS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05496881, Registered August 11, 2022. https://classic. CLINICALTRIALS: gov/ct2/show/NCT05496881 . Protocol amendment number: 01; Issue date: August 1, 2023; Primary reason for amendment: Expand eligibility to include people with all forms of MS rather than progressive forms of MS only.

Economic Evaluation of Exercise or Cognitive and Social Enrichment Activities for Improved Cognition After Stroke.

Importance: Cognitive impairment is prevalent in survivors of stroke, affecting approximately 30% of individuals. Physical exercise and cognitive and social enrichment activities can enhance cognitive function in patients with chronic stroke, but their cost-effectiveness compared with a balance and tone program is uncertain. Objective: To conduct a cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis of multicomponent exercise or cognitive and social enrichment activities compared with a balance and tone program. Design, Setting, and Participants: This economic evaluation used a Canadian health care systems perspective and the Vitality study, a randomized clinical trial aimed at improving cognition after stroke with a 6-month intervention and a subsequent 6-month follow-up (ie, 12 months). The economic evaluation covered the duration of the Vitality trial, between June 6, 2014, and February 26, 2019. Participants were community-dwelling adults aged 55 years and older who experienced a stroke at least 12 months prior to study enrollment in the Vancouver metropolitan area, British Columbia, Canada. Data were analyzed from June 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023. Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to twice-weekly classes for 1 of the 3 groups: multicomponent exercise program, cognitive and social enrichment activities program, or a balance and tone program (control). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary measures for the economic evaluation included cost-effectiveness (incremental costs per mean change in cognitive function, evaluated using the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive-Plus), cost-utility (incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained), intervention costs, and health care costs. Since cognitive benefits 6 months after intervention cessation were not observed in the primary randomized clinical trial, an economic evaluation at 12 months was not performed. Results: Among 120 participants (mean [SD] age, 71 [9] years; 74 [62%] male), 34 were randomized to the multicomponent exercise program, 34 were randomized to the social and cognitive enrichment activities program, and 52 were randomized to the balance and tone control program. At the end of the 6-month intervention, the cost per mean change in Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive-Plus score demonstrated that exercise was more effective and costlier compared with the control group in terms of cognitive improvement with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of CAD -$8823. The cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained for both interventions was negligible, with exercise less costly (mean [SD] incremental cost, CAD -$32 [$258]) and cognitive and social enrichment more costly than the control group (mean [SD] incremental cost, CAD $1018 [$378]). The balance and tone program had the lowest delivery cost (CAD $777), and the exercise group had the lowest health care resource utilization (mean [SD] $1261 [$1188]) per person. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this economic evaluation suggest that exercise demonstrated potential for cost-effectiveness to improve cognitive function in older adults with chronic stroke during a 6-month intervention.

Premotor and Posterior Parietal Cortex Activity is Increased for Slow, as well as Fast Walking Poststroke: An fNIRS Study.

Methods: Twenty individuals in the chronic stage of stroke walked: (1) at their normal pace, (2) slower than normal, and (3) as fast as possible. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to assess bilateral prefrontal, premotor, sensorimotor, and posterior parietal cortices during walking. Results: No significant differences in laterality were observed between walking speeds. The ipsilesional prefrontal cortex was overall more active than the contralesional prefrontal cortex. Premotor and posterior parietal cortex activity were larger during slow and fast walking compared to normal-paced walking with no differences between slow and fast walking. Greater increases in brain activation in the ipsilesional prefrontal cortex during fast compared to normal-paced walking related to greater gait speed modulation. Conclusions: Brain activation is not linearly related to gait speed. Ipsilesional prefrontal cortex, bilateral premotor, and bilateral posterior parietal cortices are important areas for gait speed modulation and could be an area of interest for neurostimulation.

Blood pressure trajectory of inpatient stroke rehabilitation patients from the Determining Optimal Post-Stroke Exercise (DOSE) trial over the first 12 months post-stroke.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) is the primary risk factor for recurrent strokes. Despite established clinical guidelines, some stroke survivors exhibit uncontrolled BP over the first 12 months post-stroke. Furthermore, research on BP trajectories in stroke survivors admitted to inpatient rehabilitation hospitals is limited. Exercise is recommended to reduce BP after stroke. However, the effect of high repetition gait training at aerobic intensities (>40% heart rate reserve; HRR) during inpatient rehabilitation on BP is unclear. We aimed to determine the effect of an aerobic gait training intervention on BP trajectory over the first 12 months post-stroke. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the Determining Optimal Post-Stroke Exercise (DOSE) trial. Participants with stroke admitted to inpatient rehabilitation hospitals were recruited and randomized to usual care (n = 24), DOSE1 (n = 25; >2,000 steps, 40-60% HRR for >30 min/session, 20 sessions over 4 weeks), or DOSE2 (n = 25; additional DOSE1 session/day) groups. Resting BP [systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP)] was measured at baseline (inpatient rehabilitation admission), post-intervention (near inpatient discharge), 6- and 12-month post-stroke. Linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the effects of group and time (weeks post-stroke) on SBP, DBP and hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg; ≥130/80 mmHg, if diabetic), controlling for age, stroke type, and baseline history of hypertension. Results: No effect of intervention group on SBP, DBP, or hypertension was observed. BP increased from baseline to 12-month post-stroke for SBP (from [mean ± standard deviation] 121.8 ± 15.0 to 131.8 ± 17.8 mmHg) and for DBP (74.4 ± 9.8 to 78.5 ± 10.1 mmHg). The proportion of hypertensive participants increased from 20.8% (n = 15/72) to 32.8% (n = 19/58). These increases in BP were statistically significant: an effect [estimation (95%CI), value of p] of time was observed on SBP [0.19 (0.12-0.26) mmHg/week, p < 0.001], DBP [0.09 (0.05-0.14) mmHg/week, p < 0.001], and hypertension [OR (95%CI): 1.03 (1.01-1.05), p = 0.010]. A baseline history of hypertension was associated with higher SBP by 13.45 (8.73-18.17) mmHg, higher DBP by 5.57 (2.02-9.12) mmHg, and 42.22 (6.60-270.08) times the odds of being hypertensive at each timepoint, compared to those without. Conclusion: Blood pressure increased after inpatient rehabilitation over the first 12 months post-stroke, especially among those with a history of hypertension. The 4-week aerobic gait training intervention did not influence this trajectory.

Evaluating the Dissemination and Implementation Impact of a Rehabilitation Intervention: The Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP).

Purpose: To evaluate the dissemination and implementation impacts of a rehabilitation intervention. Methods: Systematic evaluation of data sources including academic publishing metrics, publications, and surveys was used to describe the dissemination and implementation impact of the graded repetitive arm supplementary program (GRASP). Three categories in the Payback Framework were evaluated: knowledge production and dissemination, benefits to future research and research use, and real-world uptake and implementation. Results: In the Knowledge production and dissemination category, seven publications, authored by the GRASP research team, were associated with the GRASP, and there were approximately 17,000 download counts of GRASP manuals from the website from 120 countries. In the Benefits to future research and research use category, 15 studies and 8 registered clinical trials, authored by researchers outside of the GRASP team, have used GRASP as an intervention. In the real-world uptake and implementation category, GRASP has informed recommendations in 2 clinical guidelines and 20 review papers, and had high implementation uptake (e.g., 35% [53/154] of UK therapists surveyed had used GRASP; 95% [649/681] who downloaded GRASP had used it). More than 75% of those who had used GRASP identified that GRASP provides more intensity in upper extremity rehabilitation, is evidence-based and easy to implement, and the equipment and manual are easy to obtain. Conclusion: The Payback Framework is useful to evaluate the dissemination and implementation impacts of a rehabilitation intervention. GRASP has been implemented extensively in clinical practice and community in a relatively short time since it has been developed.

TeleRehabilitation with Aims to Improve Lower extremity recovery in community-dwelling individuals who have had a stroke: protocol for a multisite, parallel group, assessor-blinded, randomised attention-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Telerehabilitation is an accessible service delivery model that may support innovative lower extremity rehabilitation programmes that extend the stroke recovery continuum into the community. Unfortunately, there is limited evidence on the provision of exercises for lower extremity recovery after stroke delivered using telerehabilitation. In response, we developed the TeleRehabilitation with Aims to Improve Lower extremity recovery poststroke (TRAIL) programme, a 4-week progressive exercise and self-management intervention delivered synchronously using video-conferencing technology. Our primary hypothesis is that individual within 1-year poststroke who participate in TRAIL will experience significantly greater improvements in functional mobility than individuals in an attention-controlled education programme (EDUCATION). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this multisite, parallel group, assessor-blinded randomised attention-controlled trial, 96 community-living stroke survivors within 1-year poststroke will be recruited from five sites (Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, London and Halifax, Canada) from the CanStroke Recovery Trials Platform which is a network of Canadian hospital sites that are affiliated with academic institutions to facilitate participant recruitment and quality trial practices. Participants will be randomised on a 1:1 basis to TRAIL or EDUCATION. Participants randomised to TRAIL will receive eight telerehabilitation sessions where they will perform exercises and receive self-management support to improve lower extremity recovery from a TRAIL physical therapist. The primary outcome will be measured using the Timed Up and Go. Secondary outcomes include lower extremity muscle strength, functional balance, motor impairment, balance self-efficacy, health-related quality of life and health service use for our economic evaluation. Measurements will be taken at baseline, immediately after the intervention, 3-month and 6-month postintervention. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval for this research has been obtained by all participating sites. All study participants will provide their informed consent prior to enrolling them in the study. Findings from this trial will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international scientific meetings. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04908241.

How should we measure physical activity after stroke? An international consensus.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is important for secondary stroke prevention. Currently, there is inconsistency of outcomes and tools used to measure physical activity following stroke. AIM: To establish internationally agreed recommendations to enable consistent measurement of post-stroke physical activity. METHODS: Stroke survivors and carers were surveyed online once regarding what is important in physical activity measurement. Three survey rounds with expert stroke researchers and clinicians were conducted using Keeney's Value-Focused Thinking Methodology. Survey 1 identified physical activity tools, outcomes, and measurement considerations which were ranked in Survey 2. Consensus recommendations on tools were then formulated by the consensus group based on survey responses. In Survey 3, participants reviewed ranked results and evidence gathered to determine their support for consensus recommendations. RESULTS: Twenty-five stroke survivors, 5 carers, 18 researchers, and 17 clinicians from 16 countries participated. Time in moderate-vigorous physical activity and step count were identified as the most important outcomes to measure. Key measurement considerations included the ability to measure across frequency, intensity, duration domains in real-world settings; user-friendliness, comfort, and ability to detect changes. Consensus recommendations included using the Actigraph, Actical, and Activ8 devices for physical activity intensity; ActivPAL for duration and Step Activity Monitor for frequency; and the IPAQ and PASE questionnaires. Survey 3 indicated 100% support for device and 96% for questionnaire recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: These consensus recommendations can guide selection of physical activity measurement tools and outcomes. Tool selection will depend on measurement purpose, user-knowledge, and resources. Comprehensive measurement requires the use of devices and questionnaires.

Higher intensity walking improves global cognition during inpatient rehabilitation: a secondary analysis of a randomized control trial.

Cognitive deficits are common poststroke. Cognitive rehabilitation is typically used to improve cognitive deficits. It is unknown whether higher doses of exercise to promote motor recovery influence cognitive outcomes. Our recent trial, Determining Optimal Post-Stroke Exercise (DOSE), shows more than double the steps and aerobic minutes can be achieved during inpatient rehabilitation versus usual care, and translates to improved long-term walking outcomes. Thus, the secondary analysis aim was to determine the effect of the DOSE protocol on cognitive outcomes over 1-year poststroke. The DOSE protocol progressively increased step number and aerobic minutes during inpatient stroke rehabilitation over 20 sessions. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), and Trail Making Test B were completed at baseline, post-intervention, and 6- and 12-months poststroke, administered using standardized guidelines. Using the DOSE data, we used mixed-effect spline regression to model participants' trajectories of cognitive recovery, controlling for relevant covariates. Participants (Usual Care n = 25, DOSE n = 50) were 56.7(11.7) years old, and 27(10) days post stroke. For the MoCA, there were statistically significant Group × Trajectory(p = 0.019), and Group × ΔTrajectory (p = 0.018) interactions with a substantial clinically meaningful difference, from +5.44 points/month improvement of the DOSE group compared to +1.59 points/month improvement with Usual Care during the 4-week intervention. The DSST and Trails B improved over time but were not different between groups. Taking advantage of this early difference may lend support to continued efforts to increase intensity, during and after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation, to improve cognition. Clinical trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01915368.

Perspectives of users for a future interactive wearable system for upper extremity rehabilitation following stroke: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Wearable sensor technology can facilitate diagnostics and monitoring of people with upper extremity (UE) paresis after stroke. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives of clinicians, people living with stroke, and their caregivers on an interactive wearable system that detects UE movements and provides feedback. METHODS: This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews relating to the perspectives of a future interactive wearable system including a wearable sensor to capture UE movement and a user interface to provide feedback as the means of data collection. Ten rehabilitation therapists, 9 people with stroke, and 2 caregivers participated in this study. RESULTS: Four themes were identified (1) "Everyone is different" highlighted the need for addressing individual user's rehabilitation goal and personal preference; (2) "The wearable system should identify UE and trunk movements" emphasized that in addition to arm, hand, and finger movements, detecting compensatory trunk movements during UE movements is also of interest; (3) "Both quality and amount of movements are necessary to measure" described the parameters related to how well and how much the user is using their affected UE that participants envisioned the system to monitor; (4) "Functional activities should be practiced by the users" outlined UE movements and activities that are of priority in designing the system. CONCLUSIONS: Narratives from clinicians, people with stroke, and their caregivers offer insight into the design of interactive wearable systems. Future studies examining the experience and acceptability of existing wearable systems from end-users are warranted to guide the adoption of this technology.

Remotely delivered, individualized, and self-directed gait modification for knee osteoarthritis: A pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: Gait modification interventions have reported variable results and relied on in-person biofeedback limiting clinical accessibility. Our objective was to assess a remotely delivered and self-directed gait modification for knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: This was an unblinded, 2-arm, delayed control, randomized pilot trial (NCT04683913). Adults aged ≥50 years with symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis were randomized to an immediate group (Week 0: Baseline, Intervention; Week 6: Follow-up, Week 10: Retention) or delayed group (Week 0: Baseline, Wait Period, Week 6: Secondary Baseline, Intervention, Week 12: Follow-up, Week 16: Retention). Participants practiced modifying their foot progression angle "as much as was comfortable" while receiving support via weekly telerehabilitation appointments and remote monitoring with an instrumented shoe. Primary outcomes included participation, foot progression angle modification magnitude, confidence, difficulty, and satisfaction while secondary outcomes included symptoms and knee biomechanics during gait. RESULTS: We screened 134 people and randomized 20. There was no loss to follow up and 100% attendance at the telerehabilitation appointments. By follow up, participants reported high confidence (8.6/10), low difficulty (2.0/10), and satisfaction (75%) with the intervention and no significant adverse events. Foot progression angle was modified by 11.4° ± 5.6, which was significantly different (p < 0.001, η2g = 0.8) when compared between groups. No other between-group differences were significant, while several significant pre-post improvements in pain (d = 0.6, p = 0.006) and knee moments (d = 0.6, p = 0.01) were observed. INTERPRETATION: A personalized, self-directed gait modification supported with telerehabilitation is feasible, and the preliminary effects on symptoms and biomechanics align with past trials. A larger trial is warranted to evaluate efficacy.

Exploring the experience of cognitive changes among community-dwelling stroke survivors: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE: Cognitive deficits are common among stroke survivors and impact their functional independence. Despite the prevalence of cognitive deficits after stroke, cognitive function is largely overlooked in post-stroke care. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of individuals living with post-stroke cognitive changes to understand the impact of these changes on their daily lives. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of thirteen community-dwelling adults 50 years and older with chronic stroke who self-identified cognitive changes post-stroke. Interviews were transcribed and an inductive thematic analysis was completed. RESULTS: Four key themes were identified: 1) inability to maintain everyday activities; 2) experiencing emotional responses to living with post-stroke cognitive changes; 3) a shrinking social world and; 4) seeking care for cognitive health post-stroke. CONCLUSIONS: Post-stroke cognitive changes were described by participants as a driving force behind negative shifts in their daily lives, emotional health, and social connections after stroke. Despite seeking care for their post-stroke cognitive changes, many participants were unable to find support in mainstream healthcare. There is a demonstrated need to further elucidate the gaps in care for post-stroke cognitive deficits and implement community interventions targeting cognitive health post-stroke.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONClinicians should consider how cognitive changes post-stroke may affect daily life and the uptake in support services to help improve accessibility and alter the delivery of care accordingly.Clinicians should regularly complete cognitive screenings among their clients living with stroke and probe them for the effects of cognitive deficits within their daily life.There is a demonstrated need for community interventions that target cognitive health for individuals living with stroke, and clinicians should consider advocating for and spearheading such programs within the community.

EMAGINE-Study protocol of a randomized controlled trial for determining the efficacy of a frequency tuned electromagnetic field treatment in facilitating recovery within the subacute phase following ischemic stroke.

Stroke is a leading cause of disability with limited effective interventions that improve recovery in the subacute phase. This protocol aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a non-invasive, extremely low-frequency, low-intensity, frequency-tuned electromagnetic field treatment [Electromagnetic Network Targeting Field (ENTF) therapy] in reducing disability and promoting recovery in people with subacute ischemic stroke (IS) with moderate-severe disability and upper extremity (UE) motor impairment. Following a sample-size adaptive design with a single interim analysis, at least 150 and up to 344 participants will be recruited to detect a 0.5-point (with a minimum of 0.33 points) difference on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) between groups with 80% power at a 5% significance level. This ElectroMAGnetic field Ischemic stroke-Novel subacutE treatment (EMAGINE) trial is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel two-arm study to be conducted at approximately 20 United States sites, and enroll participants with subacute IS and moderate-severe disability with UE motor impairment. Participants will be assigned to active (ENTF) or sham treatment, initiated 4-21 days after stroke onset. The intervention, applied to the central nervous system, is designed for suitability in multiple clinical settings and at home. Primary endpoint is change in mRS score from baseline to 90 days post-stroke. Secondary endpoints: change from baseline to 90 days post-stroke on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment - UE (lead secondary endpoint), Box and Block Test, 10-Meter Walk, and others, to be analyzed in a hierarchical manner. EMAGINE will evaluate whether ENTF therapy is safe and effective at reducing disability following subacute IS. Trial registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05044507 (14 September 2021).

Multi-day monitoring of foot progression angles during unsupervised, real-world walking in people with and without knee osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Foot progression angle is a biomechanical target in gait modification interventions for knee osteoarthritis. To date, it has only been evaluated within laboratory settings. METHODS: Adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (n = 30) and healthy adults (n = 15) completed two conditions: 1) treadmill walking in the laboratory (5-min), and 2) real-world walking outside of the laboratory (1-week). Foot progression angle was estimated via shoe-embedded inertial sensing. We calculated the foot progression angle magnitude (median) and variability (interquartile range, coefficient of variation), and used mixed models to compare outcomes between the conditions, participant groups, and disease severities. Reliability was quantified by the intraclass correlation coefficient, standardized error of the measurement, and the minimum detectable change. FINDINGS: Foot progression angle magnitude did not differ between groups or conditions but variability significantly higher in real-world walking (P < 0.001). Structural and symptomatic severity were unrelated to FPA in either walking condition, except for real-world coefficient of variation which was higher for moderate-severe structural osteoarthritis compared to the treadmill for those with mild structural severity (P < 0.034). All real-world outcomes showed excellent reliability including intraclass correlation coefficients above 0.95. The participants recorded a mean (standard deviation) of 298 (33) and 10,447 (5232) steps in the laboratory and real-world walking conditions, respectively. INTERPRETATION: This study provides the first characterization of foot progression angles during real-world walking in people with and without symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. These results indicate that foot progression angles can be feasibly and reliably measured in unsupervised real-world walking conditions.

The relationship between Rating of Everyday Arm-use in the Community and Home (REACH) scale affected arm-use assessment, activity and participation after stroke.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: While arm function has been traditionally used as a primary goal for upper extremity rehabilitation post-stroke, we propose a simple measure of arm use, which may translate into better activities and participation. The aim was to determine the relationship between arm use and measures of activity and participation. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study with evaluative components involving community-dwelling individuals with chronic stroke. The Rating of Everyday Arm-Use in the Community and Home (REACH) Scale was used to assess affected arm use, Barthel Index and activity domain of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) for activities, and participation domain of the SIS for participation. The participants were also asked if they resumed driving after the stroke. RESULTS: Forty-nine individuals (mean age = 70.3 ± 11.5 years, male sex = 51%) living with the effects of a stroke for at least 3 months participated in this study. There was a positive relationship between affected arm use and activities (Barthel Index score - rs  = 0.464; SIS activities - rs  = 0.686), participation (rs  = 0.479), and driving (rs  = 0.581). The Barthel Index scores were higher for individuals with dominant arm hemiparesis (p = 0.003) or left hemisphere lesions (p = 0.005). There was also greater arm use in left hemisphere lesions (p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Affected arm use in individuals with chronic stroke is related to activities and participation. Given the importance of arm use in activities and participation after stroke, rehabilitation therapists may consider utilizing the REACH Scale, a simple and quick outcome measure, as a means to assess arm use and implement effective interventions for improving arm use.