Acceptability of a Telerehabilitation Biofeedback System Among Stroke Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis.
Miranda R Donnelly, Coralie S Phanord, Octavio Marin-Pardo and 5 others
PMID 36803173WHAT IT FOUND
Four stroke survivors found home EMG biofeedback games acceptable when they could see and use small arm movement attempts, customize games and sensor placement, and get reliable support.
Unpredictable sensors and technical failures were barriers.
Key findings
01Seeing EMG biofeedback of attempted arm movements motivated participants to use the affected arm in games and daily tasks.
02Customizable calibration, game settings, session structure, and support options improved acceptability, while sensor placement and calibration problems were barriers.
03Predictable system response and direct control over game outcomes supported acceptability, while unpredictable sensors and probability-based games reduced participants' sense of control.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Only four participants were interviewed, and all were men with left-sided arm weakness, so the themes may not represent other stroke survivors. The study asked about acceptability after 6 weeks, not whether the system improved arm function, and participants' reports of benefits were self-assessed. Participants had therapist or technician support in half the sessions and multiple ways to contact researchers, which may not be realistic in usual care. Some researchers helped develop Tele-REINVENT and one delivered the intervention, which may shape interpretation. Participants compared the system with past treatments from memory, not in a side-by-side test.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The article is tagged with NIH extramural, U.S. government non-PHS, and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that home EMG biofeedback improves arm function or will be accepted by all stroke survivors. It interviewed four men after 6 weeks and reported themes about acceptability, not treatment effects.