A Novel, Wearable Inertial Measurement Unit for Stroke Survivors: Validity, Acceptability, and Usability.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the concurrent validity, acceptability, and sensor optimization of a consumer-grade, wearable, multi-sensor system to capture quantity and quality metrics of mobility and upper limb movements in stroke survivors. DESIGN: Single-session, cross-sectional. SETTING: Clinical research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty chronic stroke survivors (age 57 (10) years; 33% female) with mild to severe motor impairments participated. INTERVENTIONS: Not Applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants donned 5 sensors and performed standardized assessments of mobility and upper limb (UL) movement. True/false, positive/negative time in active movement for the UL were calculated and compared to criterion-standards using an accuracy rate. Bland-Altman plots and linear regression models were used to establish concurrent validity of UL movement counts, step counts, and stance time symmetry of MiGo against established criterion-standard measures. Acceptability and sensor optimization were assessed through an end-user survey and decision matrix. RESULTS: Mobility metrics showed excellent association with criterion-standards for step counts (video: r=0.988, P<.001, IMU: r=0.921, P<.001) and stance-time symmetry (r=0.722, P<.001). In the UL, movement counts showed excellent to good agreement (paretic: r=0.849, P<.001, nonparetic: r=0.672, P<.001). Accuracy of active movement time was 85.2% (paretic) and 88.0% (nonparetic) UL. Most participants (63.3%) had difficulty donning/doffing the sensors. Acceptability was high (4.2/5). CONCLUSIONS: The sensors demonstrated excellent concurrent validity for mobility metrics and UL movements of stroke survivors. Acceptability of the system was high, but alternative wristbands should be considered.

Wearable Technology to Capture Arm Use of People With Stroke in Home and Community Settings: Feasibility and Early Insights on Motor Performance.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this study were to establish the short-term feasibility and usability of wrist-worn wearable sensors for capturing the arm and hand activity of people with stroke and to explore the association between factors related to the use of the paretic arm and hand. METHODS: Thirty people with chronic stroke were monitored with wrist-worn wearable sensors for 12 hours per day for a 7-day period. Participants also completed standardized assessments to capture stroke severity, arm motor impairments, self-perceived arm use, and self-efficacy. The usability of the wearable sensors was assessed using the adapted System Usability Scale and an exit interview. Associations between motor performance and capacity (arm and hand impairments and activity limitations) were assessed using Spearman correlations. RESULTS: Minimal technical issues or lack of adherence to the wearing schedule occurred, with 87.6% of days procuring valid data from both sensors. The average sensor wear time was 12.6 (standard deviation [SD] = 0.2) hours per day. Three participants experienced discomfort with 1 of the wristbands, and 3 other participants had unrelated adverse events. There were positive self-reported usability scores (mean = 85.4/100) and high user satisfaction. Significant correlations were observed for measures of motor capacity and self-efficacy with paretic arm use in the home and the community (Spearman correlation coefficients = 0.44-0.71). CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates the feasibility and usability of a consumer-grade wearable sensor for capturing paretic arm activity outside the laboratory. It provides early insight into the everyday arm use of people with stroke and related factors, such as motor capacity and self-efficacy. IMPACT: The integration of wearable technologies into clinical practice offers new possibilities to complement in-person clinical assessments and to better understand how each person is moving outside of therapy and throughout the recovery and reintegration phase. Insight gained from monitoring the arm and hand use of people with stroke in the home and community is the first step toward informing future research with an emphasis on causal mechanisms with clinical relevance.

Understanding stroke survivors' preferences regarding wearable sensor feedback on functional movement: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: In stroke rehabilitation, wearable technology can be used as an intervention modality by providing timely, meaningful feedback on motor performance. Stroke survivors' preferences may offer a unique perspective on what metrics are intuitive, actionable, and meaningful to change behavior. However, few studies have identified feedback preferences from stroke survivors. This project aims to determine the ease of understanding and movement encouragement of feedback based on wearable sensor data (both arm/hand use and mobility) for stroke survivors and to identify preferences for feedback metrics (mode, content, frequency, and timing). METHODS: A sample of 30 chronic stroke survivors wore a multi-sensor system in the natural environment over a 1-week monitoring period. The sensor system captured time in active movement of each arm, arm use ratio, step counts and stance time symmetry. Using the data from the monitoring period, participants were presented with a movement report with visual displays of feedback about arm/hand use, step counts and gait symmetry. A survey and qualitative interview were used to assess ease of understanding, actionability and components of feedback that users found most meaningful to drive lasting behavior change. RESULTS: Arm/hand use and mobility sensor-derived feedback metrics were easy to understand and actionable. The preferred metric to encourage arm/hand use was the hourly arm use bar plot, and similarly the preferred metric to encourage mobility was the hourly steps bar plot, which were each ranked as top choice by 40% of participants. Participants perceived that quantitative (i.e., step counts) and qualitative (i.e., stance time symmetry) mobility metrics provided complementary information. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) Motivation for behavior change, (2) Real-time feedback based on individual goals, and (3) Value of experienced clinicians for prescription and accountability. Participants stressed the importance of having feedback tailored to their own personalized goals and receiving guidance from clinicians on strategies to progress and increase functional movement behavior in the unsupervised home and community setting. CONCLUSION: The resulting technology has the potential to integrate engineering and personalized rehabilitation to maximize participation in meaningful life activities outside clinical settings in a less structured environment.

Understanding preferences of stroke survivors for feedback provision about functional movement behavior from wearable sensors: a mixed-methods study.

Background: In stroke rehabilitation, wearable technology can be used as an intervention modality by providing timely, meaningful feedback on motor performance. Stroke survivors' preferences may offer a unique perspective on what metrics are intuitive, actionable, and meaningful to change behavior. However, few studies have identified feedback preferences from stroke survivors. This project aims to determine stroke survivors' satisfaction with feedback from wearable sensors (both mobility and arm/hand use) and to identify preferences for feedback type and delivery schedule. Methods: A sample of 30 chronic stroke survivors wore a multi-sensor system in the natural environment over a 1-week monitoring period. The sensor system captured time in active movement of each arm, arm use ratio, step counts and stance time symmetry. Using the data from the monitoring period, participants were presented with a movement report with visual displays of quantitative and qualitative feedback. A survey and qualitative interview were used to assess ease of understanding, actionability and components of feedback that users found most meaningful to drive lasting behavior change. Results: Arm/hand use and mobility sensor-derived feedback metrics were easy to understand and actionable. The preferred metric to encourage arm/hand use was the hourly arm use bar plot, and similarly the preferred metric to encourage mobility was the hourly steps bar plot, which were each ranked as top choice by 40% of participants. Participants perceived that quantitative (i.e., step counts) and qualitative (i.e., stance time symmetry) mobility metrics provided complementary information. Three main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: 1) Motivation for behavior change, 2) Real-time feedback based on individual goals, and 3) Value of experienced clinicians for prescription and accountability. Participants stressed the importance of having feedback tailored to their own personalized goals and receiving guidance from clinicians on strategies to progress and increase functional movement behavior in the unsupervised home and community setting. Conclusion: The resulting technology has the potential to integrate engineering and personalized rehabilitation to maximize participation in meaningful life activities outside clinical settings in a less structured environment-one where stroke survivors live their lives.

Wearable technology to capture arm use of stroke survivors in home and community settings: feasibility and early insights on motor performance.

Objective: To establish short-term feasibility and usability of wrist-worn wearable sensors to capture arm/hand activity of stroke survivors and to explore the association between factors related to use of the paretic arm/hand. Methods: 30 chronic stroke survivors were monitored with wrist-worn wearable sensors during 12h/day for a 7-day period. Participants also completed standardized assessments to capture stroke severity, arm motor impairments, self-perceived arm use and self-efficacy. Usability of the wearable sensors was assessed using the adapted System Usability Scale and an exit interview. Associations between motor performance and capacity (arm/hand impairments and activity limitations) were assessed using Spearman's correlations. Results: Minimal technical issues or lack of adherence to the wearing schedule occurred, with 87.6% of days procuring valid data from both sensors. Average sensor wear time was 12.6 (standard deviation: 0.2) h/day. Three participants experienced discomfort with one of the wristbands and three other participants had unrelated adverse events. There were positive self-reported usability scores (mean: 85.4/100) and high user satisfaction. Significant correlations were observed for measures of motor capacity and self-efficacy with paretic arm use in the home and the community (Spearman's correlation ρs: 0.44-0.71). Conclusions: This work demonstrates the feasibility and usability of a consumer-grade wearable sensor to capture paretic arm activity outside the laboratory. It provides early insight into stroke survivors' everyday arm use and related factors such as motor capacity and self-efficacy. Impact: The integration of wearable technologies into clinical practice offers new possibilities to complement in-person clinical assessments and to better understand how each person is moving outside of therapy and throughout the recovery and reintegration phase. Insights gained from monitoring stroke survivors arm/hand use in the home and community is the first step towards informing future research with an emphasis on causal mechanisms with clinical relevance.

Retrospective Analysis of Task-Specific Effects on Brain Activity After Stroke: A Pilot Study.

Background: Evidence supports cortical reorganization in sensorimotor areas induced by constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). However, only a few studies examined the neural plastic changes as a function of task specificity. This retrospective analysis aims to evaluate the functional brain activation changes during a precision and a power grasp task in chronic stroke survivors who received 2-weeks of CIMT compared to a no-treatment control group. Methods: Fourteen chronic stroke survivors, randomized to CIMT (n = 8) or non-CIMT (n = 6), underwent functional MRI (fMRI) before and after a 2-week period. Two behavioral measures, the 6-item Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT-6) and the Motor Activity Log (MAL), and fMRI brain scans were collected before and after a 2-week period. During scan runs, participants performed two different grasp tasks (precision, power). Pre to post changes in laterality index (LI) were compared by group and task for two predetermined motor regions of interest: dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) and primary motor cortex (MI). Results: In contrast to the control group, the CIMT group showed significant improvements in the WMFT-6. For the MAL, both groups showed a trend toward greater improvements from baseline. Two weeks of CIMT resulted in a relative increase in activity in a key region of the motor network, PMd of the lesioned hemisphere, under precision grasp task conditions compared to the non-treatment control group. No changes in LI were observed in MI for either task or group. Conclusion: These findings provide preliminary evidence for task-specific effects of CIMT in the promotion of recovery-supportive cortical reorganization in chronic stroke survivors.

Feasibility of an Online Langerian Mindfulness Program for Stroke Survivors and Caregivers.

Mindfulness is promising for individuals with neurological disorders and their caregivers to improve psychological well-being. The potential application of a Langerian mindfulness intervention, focused on attention to variability, however, is still unknown. The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility (usability, satisfaction, and potential effectiveness on psychological well-being) of an online mindfulness intervention for stroke survivors and caregivers. Using mixed methods, 11 stroke survivors and three caregivers participated in a 3-week, online, Langerian mindfulness intervention. A semi-structured interview assessed the intervention's usability and gathered feedback. Self-reported measures about psychological well-being were documented remotely 3 times (preintervention, postintervention, and 1-month follow-up). Qualitatively, participants were highly satisfied with the intervention and reported subjective benefits, but the usability of the online platform was poor. None of the self-reported measures changed over time. This study provided evidence of feasibility of an online Langerian mindfulness intervention in a new population: stroke survivors and caregivers.

Ipsilesional arm training in severe stroke to improve functional independence (IPSI): phase II protocol.

BACKGROUND: We previously characterized hemisphere-specific motor control deficits in the ipsilesional, less-impaired arm of unilaterally lesioned stroke survivors. Our preliminary data indicate these deficits are substantial and functionally limiting in patients with severe paresis. METHODS: We have designed an intervention ("IPSI") to remediate the hemisphere-specific deficits in the ipsilesional arm, using a virtual-reality platform, followed by manipulation training with a variety of real objects, designed to facilitate generalization and transfer to functional behaviors encountered in the natural environment. This is a 2-site (primary site - Penn State College of Medicine, secondary site - University of Southern California), two-group randomized intervention with an experimental group, which receives unilateral training of the ipsilesional arm throughout 3 one-hour sessions per week for 5 weeks, through our Virtual Reality and Manipulation Training (VRMT) protocol. Our control group receives a conventional intervention on the contralesional arm, 3 one-hour sessions per week for 5 weeks, guided by recently released practice guidelines for upper limb rehabilitation in adult stroke. The study aims to include a total of 120 stroke survivors (60 per group) whose stroke was in the territory of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) resulting in severe upper-extremity motor impairments. Outcome measures (Primary: Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Abilhand, Barthel Index) are assessed at five evaluation points: Baseline 1, Baseline 2, immediate post-intervention (primary endpoint), and 3-weeks (short-term retention) and 6-months post-intervention (long-term retention). We hypothesize that both groups will improve performance of the targeted arm, but that the ipsilesional arm remediation group will show greater improvements in functional independence. DISCUSSION: The results of this study are expected to inform upper limb evaluation and treatment to consider ipsilesional arm function, as part of a comprehensive physical rehabilitation strategy that includes evaluation and remediation of both arms. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration ID: NCT03634397 ; date of registration: 08/16/2018).

Clinical Motor Coordination Tests in Adult Neurology: A Scoping Review.

Purpose: This scoping review aimed to identify which clinical tests are used to assess upper limb, lower limb, and trunk motor coordination, and their metric and measurement properties for adult neurological populations. Method: MEDLINE (1946-) and EMBASE (1996-) databases were searched using keywords such as movement quality, motor performance, motor coordination, assessment, and psychometrics. Data regarding the body part assessed, neurological condition, psychometric properties, and scored metrics of spatial and/or temporal coordination were independently extracted by two reviewers. Alternate versions of some tests such as the Finger-to-Nose Test were included. Results: Fifty-one included articles yielded 2 tests measuring spatial coordination, 7 tests measuring temporal coordination, and 10 tests measuring both. Scoring metrics and measurement properties differed between tests, with a majority of tests having good-to-excellent measurement properties. Conclusions: The metrics of motor coordination scored by current tests vary. Since tests do not assess functional task performance, the onus falls on clinicians to infer the connection between coordination impairments and functional deficits. Clinical practice would benefit from the development of a battery of tests that assesses the metrics of coordination related to functional performance.

Objectif : la présente revue exploratoire visait à déterminer quels tests cliniques sont utilisés pour évaluer la coordination motrice des membres supérieurs, des membres inférieurs et du tronc, ainsi que pour déterminer leurs propriétés métriques et de mesures dans les populations d'adultes ayant des troubles neurologiques. Méthodologie : les chercheurs ont fouillé les bases de données de MEDLINE (1946­) et d'EMBASE (1996­) au moyen de mots-clés comme movement quality, motor performance, motor coordination, assessment et psychometrics. Deux analystes indépendants ont extrait les données relatives aux parties du corps évaluées, à l'affection neurologique, aux propriétés psychométriques et aux mesures de coordination spatiale ou temporelle calculées. D'autres versions de certains tests, comme l'épreuve doigt-nez, ont été incluses. Résultats : au total, les 51 articles retenus incluaient deux tests qui mesuraient la coordination spatiale, sept tests qui mesuraient la coordination temporelle et dix qui mesuraient ces deux types de coordination. Les mesures calculées et les propriétés de mesure différaient entre les tests, mais les propriétés de la majorité d'entre elles étaient bonnes à excellentes. Conclusions : les mesures de coordination motrice calculées par les tests actuels varient. Puisque les tests n'évaluent pas la performance des tâches fonctionnelles, il revient aux cliniciens d'extrapoler les liens entre les déficits de coordination et les déficits fonctionnels. La création d'une batterie de tests pour évaluer les mesures de coordination liées à la performance fonctionnelle serait bénéfique en pratique clinique.

mHealth technologies used to capture walking and arm use behavior in adult stroke survivors: a scoping review beyond measurement properties.

PURPOSE: We aimed to provide a critical review of measurement properties of mHealth technologies used for stroke survivors to measure the amount and intensity of functional skills, and to identify facilitators and barriers toward adoption in research and clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using Arksey and O'Malley's framework, two independent reviewers determined eligibility and performed data extraction. We conducted an online consultation survey exercise with 37 experts. RESULTS: Sixty-four out of 1380 studies were included. A majority reported on lower limb behavior (n = 32), primarily step count (n = 21). Seventeen studies reported on arm-hand behaviors. Twenty-two studies reported metrics of intensity, 10 reported on energy expenditure. Reliability and validity were the most frequently reported properties, both for commercial and non-commercial devices. Facilitators and barriers included: resource costs, technical aspects, perceived usability, and ecological legitimacy. Two additional categories emerged from the survey: safety and knowledge, attitude, and clinical skill. CONCLUSIONS: This provides an initial foundation for a field experiencing rapid growth, new opportunities and the promise that mHealth technologies affords for envisioning a better future for stroke survivors. We synthesized findings into a set of recommendations for clinicians and clinician-scientists about how best to choose mHealth technologies for one's individual objective.Implications for RehabilitationRehabilitation professionals are encouraged to consider the measurement properties of those technologies that are used to monitor functional locomotor and object-interaction skills in the stroke survivors they serve.Multi-modal knowledge translation strategies (research synthesis, educational courses or videos, mentorship from experts, etc.) are available to rehabilitation professionals to improve knowledge, attitude, and skills pertaining to mHealth technologies.Consider the selection of commercially available devices that are proven to be valid, reliable, accurate, and responsive to the targeted clinical population.Consider usability and privacy, confidentiality and safety when choosing a specific device or smartphone application.

Socially Accountable Canadian Occupational Therapy Fieldwork with Indigenous Peoples: Where Are We At?

In an increasingly globalized world, there have been mounting calls for social accountability with respect to recognizing Indigenous and nonwhite human rights within nation states. Thus, this perspective paper reflects on the Canadian occupational therapy journey for social change with a specific focus on Indigenous fieldwork experiences. First, we describe the importance of cultural safety in occupational therapy practice and partnership development. Then we profile a unique and successful fieldwork experience as a guide for facilitating transformative learning during an Indigenous fieldwork placement. The results of a national portrait evaluation of Indigenous fieldwork across Canada and considerations for future actions are also presented. The time is right to create further opportunities to develop creative, constructive dialogue and strategic thinking to engage in and evolve occupational therapy fieldwork education in forward-looking partnerships with Indigenous stakeholders, services and communities.

A Novel Combination of Accelerometry and Ecological Momentary Assessment for Post-Stroke Paretic Arm/Hand Use: Feasibility and Validity.

Use of the paretic arm and hand is a key indicator of recovery and reintegration after stroke. A sound methodology is essential to comprehensively identify the possible factors impacting daily arm/hand use behavior. We combined ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a prompt methodology capturing real-time psycho-contextual factors, with accelerometry to investigate arm/hand behavior in the natural environment. Our aims were to determine (1) feasibility and (2) measurement validity of the combined methodology. We monitored 30 right-dominant, mild-moderately motor impaired chronic stroke survivors over 5 days (6 EMA prompts/day with accelerometers on each wrist). We observed high adherence for accelerometer wearing time (80.3%), EMA prompt response (84.6%), and generally positive user feedback upon exit interview. The customized prompt schedule and the self-triggered prompt option may have improved adherence. There was no evidence of EMA response bias nor immediate measurement reactivity. An unexpected small but significant increase in paretic arm/hand use was observed over days (12-14 min), which may be the accumulated effect of prompting that provided a reminder to choose the paretic limb. Further research that uses this combined methodology is needed to develop targeted interventions that effectively change behavior and enable reintegration post-stroke.

Feasibility of a ballet-inspired low-impact at-home workout programme for adults with stroke: a mixed-methods exploratory study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Balancing problems are prominent in stroke survivors with unilateral paresis. Recent evidence supports that dance interventions are associated with significant improvements in gait, stability and walking endurance in people with neurological conditions. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of a novel ballet-inspired at-home workout programme (Footprints to Better Balance (FBB)) for stroke survivors. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A mixed-methods exploratory study incorporating a randomised controlled trial and qualitative evaluation will be conducted. We will recruit 40 adults with a first-ever ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke and mild-moderate lower limb paresis from two acute stroke units. The intervention group will receive usual care plus FBB, an 8-week home-based programme with ballet-inspired workouts underpinned by Bandura's principles of self-efficacy and outcome expectation. FBB will be delivered by trained lay and peer volunteers, with the support of volunteer healthcare professionals. Multiple data will be collected: Recruitment rate, adherence to FBB, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires on outcomes (balance, gait and memory) assessed at baseline and immediately post-intervention. The generalised estimating equations model will be used to compare differential changes on outcomes across time points between the two arms. Qualitative data will be coded and grouped to form themes and subthemes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval from the Joint Chinese University of Hong Kong-New Territories East Cluster Clinical Research Ethics Committee has been obtained. All eligible participants will provide written informed consent. Study results will be disseminated via publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04460794.

Integration of Motor Learning Principles Into Virtual Reality Interventions for Individuals With Cerebral Palsy: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports the use of virtual reality systems to improve upper limb motor functions in individuals with cerebral palsy. While virtual reality offers the possibility to include key components to promote motor learning, it remains unclear if and how motor learning principles are incorporated into the development of rehabilitation interventions using virtual reality. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which motor learning principles are integrated into virtual reality interventions targeting upper limb function in individuals with cerebral palsy. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The search was performed in 10 databases using a combination of keywords related to cerebral palsy, virtual reality, video games, and rehabilitation. Studies were divided into 2 categories: commercial video game platforms and devices and custom virtual reality systems. Study quality was assessed using the modified Downs and Black checklist. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 1497 publications. A total of 26 studies from 30 publications were included, with most studies classified as "fair" according to the modified Downs and Black checklist. The majority of studies provided enhanced feedback and variable practice and used functionally relevant and motivating virtual tasks. The dosage varied greatly (total training time ranged from 300 to 3360 minutes), with only 6 studies reporting the number of movement repetitions per session. The difficulty progression and the assessment of skills retention and transfer were poorly incorporated, especially for the commercial video games. CONCLUSIONS: Motor learning principles should be better integrated into the development of future virtual reality systems for optimal upper limb motor recovery in individuals with cerebral palsy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42020151982; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42020151982.

Development of a Comprehensive Outcome Measure for Motor Coordination, Step 2: Reliability and Construct Validity in Chronic Stroke Patients.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive scale assessing motor coordination of multiple body segments was developed using a 3-phase content validation process. The Comprehensive Coordination Scale (CCS) evaluates motor coordination defined as the ability to produce context-dependent movements of multiple effectors in both spatial and temporal domains. The scale assesses motor coordination in individuals with neurological injuries at 2 levels of movement description: the motor performance level describes end point movements (ie, hand, foot), and the movement quality level describes limb joints/trunk movements contributing to end point movement. OBJECTIVE: To determine measurement properties of the scale in people with chronic stroke. METHODS: Standardized approaches determined the internal consistency (factor loadings), intrarater and interrater reliability (interclass correlation coefficient), measurement error (SEM; minimal detectable change [MDC]), construct validity, and interpretability (ie, ceiling and floor effects) of the CCS. RESULTS: Data from 30 patients with chronic stroke were used for the analysis. The internal consistency of the scale was high (0.94), and the scale consisted of separate factors characterizing end point motor performance and movement quality. Intrarater (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.97-0.97) and interrater (ICC=0.76-0.98) reliability of the whole scale and subscales were good to excellent. The CCS had an SEM of 1.80 points (total score = 69 points) and an MDC95 of 4.98 points. The CCS total score was related to Fugl-Meyer Assessment total and motor scores and had no ceiling or floor effects. CONCLUSIONS: The CCS scale has strong measurement properties and may be a useful measure of spatial and temporal coordination deficits in chronic stroke survivors.

Development of a Comprehensive Outcome Measure for Motor Coordination; Step 1: Three-Phase Content Validity Process.

BACKGROUND: Motor coordination, the ability to produce context-dependent organized movements in spatial and temporal domains, is impaired after neurological injuries. Outcome measures assessing coordination mostly quantify endpoint performance variables (ie, temporal qualities of whole arm movement) but not movement quality (ie, trunk and arm joint displacements). OBJECTIVE: To develop an outcome measure to assess coordination of multiple body segments at both endpoint trajectory and movement quality levels, based on observational kinematics, in adults with neurological injuries. METHODS: A 3-phase study was used to develop the Comprehensive Coordination Scale (CCS): instrument development, Delphi process, and focus group meeting. The CCS was constructed from common tests used in clinical practice and research. Rating scales for different behavioral elements were developed to guide analysis. For content validation, 8 experts (ie, neurological clinicians/researchers) answered questionnaires about relevance, comprehension, and feasibility of each test and rating scale. A focus group conducted with 6 of 8 experts obtained consensus on rating scale and instruction wording, and identified gaps. Three additional experts reviewed the revised CCS content to obtain a final version. RESULTS: Experts identified a gap regarding assessment of hand/finger coordination. The CCS final version is composed of 6 complementary tests of coordination: finger-to-nose, arm-trunk, finger, lower extremity, and 2- and 4-limb interlimb coordination. Constructs include spatial and temporal variables totaling 69 points. Higher scores indicate better performance. CONCLUSIONS: The CCS may be an important, understandable and feasible outcome measure to assess spatial and temporal coordination. CCS measurement properties are presented in the companion article.

Motor learning in neurological rehabilitation.

While most upper limb training interventions in neurological rehabilitation are based on established principles of motor learning and neural plasticity, recovery potential may be improved if the focus includes remediating an individual's specific motor impairment within the framework of a motor control theory. This paper reviews current theories of motor control and motor learning and describes how they can be incorporated into training programs to enhance sensorimotor recovery in patients with neurological lesions. An emphasis is placed on dynamical systems theory and the use of new technologies such as virtual, augmented and mixed reality applications for rehabilitation to facilitate learning.Implications for RehabilitationKinematic abundance allows the healthy nervous system to produce different combinations of joint rotations to perform a desired task.The structure of practice to improve the movement repertoire in rehabilitation should take into account the kinematic abundance of the system.Learning can be enhanced by varied practice with feedback about key movement elements.Virtual reality environments provide opportunities to manipulate the structure and schedule of practice and feedback.

A perspective on the use of ecological momentary assessment and intervention to promote stroke recovery and rehabilitation.

Motivated by recent advances in technologies, ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and ecological momentary intervention (EMI) have seen a rise in behavioral medicine research that in real-time, informs the context for the behavior and prompts interventions to change that behavior in the natural setting when necessary. However, EMA and EMI have yet to be fully embraced in the field of stroke rehabilitation. Our objective is to provide a theoretically based perspective for the combined and synergistic use of EMA and EMI to promote person-centered, recovery-based durable changes in functional movement behaviors of stroke survivors. Research abounds for non-stroke populations with emerging evidence for the benefits of using real-time data capture techniques (i.e. EMA) coupled with EMI to better customize the content and timing of interventions to the inherent fluctuations in state and context that encompass the target behavior. We review existing EMA and EMI literature broadly in behavioral medicine and psychological science to identify how real-time repeated sampling technology has been used in the context of stroke rehabilitation and to delineate the pros and cons of this approach in general with non-stroke populations. We propose a coupled EMA and EMI strategy be used in conjunction with existing stroke recovery and rehabilitation practices. There is tremendous potential to effectively personalize recovery-promoting interventions to achieve durable behavior change, and importantly, shift the focus of rehabilitation practice from the health-care provider and clinical environment to the individual and their lived experience in the home and community.