Feasibility and Acceptability of Game-Based Cortical Priming and Functional Lower Limb Training in a Remotely Supervised Home Setting for Chronic Stroke: A Case Series.
Hyosok Lim, Nicholas Marjanovic, Cristian Luciano and 1 others
PMID 36188982WHAT IT FOUND
Three chronic stroke survivors completed 24 home sessions of game-based ankle priming and lower limb training remotely.
All showed walking speed gains meeting the minimal clinically important difference. The program was feasible and safe, but without a control group, efficacy remains unproven.
Key findings
01All three participants completed the 24-session home program with 100% compliance and no adverse events.
02Every participant increased fastest walking speed at post-testing, with changes ranging from 0.10 to 0.31 m/s, meeting or exceeding the minimal clinically important difference.
03Participants rated satisfaction highest (average 4.8 out of 5), but all reported difficulty attaching the device foot piece with one hand.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study had no control group, so it is impossible to know if the improvements were due to the game-based priming, the functional lower limb training alone, or natural recovery. The sample size was extremely small (n=3), limiting generalizability. The device foot piece was difficult for participants to attach with one hand, which may limit adoption for those with severe upper limb impairment. The acceptability questionnaire focused primarily on the DIG-I-PRIME system rather than the telehealth supervision model itself.
Declared interests
Funded by the Chancellor's Innovation Fund at the University of Illinois at Chicago. The authors declare no commercial or financial conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the walking speed improvements as evidence that the game-based priming caused the recovery. The study lacked a control group, so the gains may have resulted from the functional lower limb training alone or natural progression. Additionally, with only three participants, the findings describe feasibility, not efficacy.