The use of home-based digital technology to support post-stroke upper limb rehabilitation: A scoping review.
Gdiom Gebreheat, Adele Goman, Alison Porter-Armstrong
PMID 37469176WHAT IT FOUND
Home digital tools like VR and robots are widely used for post-stroke arm rehab, with studies mainly reporting feasibility and user satisfaction rather than proven effectiveness.
Evidence on whether these tools match clinic-based therapy remains inconsistent and limited.
Key findings
01The review mapped 76 studies using six technology types, with most investigating feasibility, design, or usability rather than clinical efficacy.
02While many studies reported positive outcomes for usability and motor improvement, some found clinic-based therapy was more effective than home-based digital interventions.
03The authors state that scoping reviews do not evaluate clinical effectiveness or methodological rigour, and many included studies had small samples and inconsistent measures.
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
Scoping reviews do not assess the quality or clinical effectiveness of included studies, so findings reflect the extent of research, not its validity. Many included studies had small sample sizes and used a wide range of different outcome measures, making comparisons difficult. The review lacked studies from Africa and had few from Asia, limiting the generalisability of findings to low- and middle-income countries. Intervention doses and durations varied significantly across studies, which may influence reported outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The lead author was funded by a PhD studentship from Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland, with no other financial support provided.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the widespread use and positive usability reports in this review as evidence that home-based digital technologies are clinically effective for upper limb recovery. The review explicitly did not evaluate clinical effectiveness or study quality, and several included studies found no significant benefit or inferiority compared to clinic-based therapy.