Harnessing smartphone technology and three dimensional printing to create a mobile rehabilitation system, mRehab: assessment of usability and consistency in measurement.
Sutanuka Bhattacharjya, Matthew C Stafford, Lora Anne Cavuoto and 5 others
PMID 31665036WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults and people with stroke rated a smartphone and 3D printed home practice system as easy to learn and relevant to daily tasks.
The app counted movements correctly, but day-to-day measurement was inconsistent for some activities.
Key findings
01Participants rated the system positively, and the mean score for ease of learning to operate the system was 8.75 on a 9-point scale.
02The app recognized 100% of repetitions correctly.
03Day-to-day variability was less than 10% for six duration activities and four smoothness activities, but quick twist mug had 46.2% duration variability and 53.3% smoothness variability.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
This was a prototype usability and measurement-consistency study, not a trial of whether mRehab improves upper-limb recovery or daily function. The samples were small and convenience-based, and the measurement analysis excluded participants who missed a visit. Consistency was tested mainly in healthy young adults, so it does not show how stable the measurements would be in people with stroke or other movement disorders. The key and doorknob objects broke during testing, and those activities were removed from the consistency analysis. Quick twist mug had high day-to-day variability and was removed; horizontal bowl smoothness was also high because of outlier trials. The app was not tested with participants' own smartphones, and performance data were not followed by therapists in a clinical setting. Time of day and fatigue were not controlled.
Declared interests
Funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. No other conflicts are stated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that mRehab improves upper-limb recovery or should replace clinical home programs. The study tested usability and measurement consistency in small samples, not patient outcomes, and some activities were too variable to track.