Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool

Background To support recovery after stroke, rehabilitative actions and innovations are needed in resource-limited health care and geographically distant regions. Objective The first objective was to explore the feasibility of performing home-based training using the novel DISKO-tool including both...

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Main Authors: Elisabet Åkesson, Maria Bergqvist, Maja Eder, Nanna Bäckström, Erika Franzén, Jörgen Borg, Susanne Palmcrantz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Digital Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241308614
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author Elisabet Åkesson
Maria Bergqvist
Maja Eder
Nanna Bäckström
Erika Franzén
Jörgen Borg
Susanne Palmcrantz
author_facet Elisabet Åkesson
Maria Bergqvist
Maja Eder
Nanna Bäckström
Erika Franzén
Jörgen Borg
Susanne Palmcrantz
author_sort Elisabet Åkesson
collection DOAJ
description Background To support recovery after stroke, rehabilitative actions and innovations are needed in resource-limited health care and geographically distant regions. Objective The first objective was to explore the feasibility of performing home-based training using the novel DISKO-tool including both telerehabilitation and serious gaming customized to target dynamic balance poststroke. The second objective was to assess the outcome using the Balance Evaluation Systems Test as the primary outcome. Methods This randomized controlled pilot trial, included ambulatory patients ≥18 years of age with physical impairments 3–6 months poststroke. During primary care rehabilitation, patients were randomized to conventional and 6 weeks of DISKO-tool training in the home ( n  = 10) or conventional training only ( n  = 11). Feasibility was assessed with process, resource, management, and scientific perspectives using questionnaires, logbooks, DISKO-tool data and clinical assessments. Results The study design was feasible including safety, resource capacity, a retention rate of 87%, high compliance to the protocol (mean 30 training days), and highly rated experience of the tool (median 10 of 10) despite some technical issues. The recruitment rate was low. The DISKO-group presented improved balance, especially in anticipatory postural adjustment compared to the conventional group ( p  < 0.001; effect size 2.195; 95% CI 1.015–3.336). Conclusions Applying the DISKO-tool in home-based stroke rehabilitation was feasible and the piloted methodology suited for a larger RCT, as long as a wider inclusion time window poststroke is applied to enhance the recruitment rate. Rapid development and a limited lifespan of off-the-shelf hardware products warrant continuous technical development.
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spelling doaj-art-aa3af046936f4ff4b3a4c2b3a157d8412025-01-03T10:03:21ZengSAGE PublishingDigital Health2055-20762025-01-011110.1177/20552076241308614Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-toolElisabet Åkesson0Maria Bergqvist1Maja Eder2Nanna Bäckström3Erika Franzén4Jörgen Borg5Susanne Palmcrantz6 Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, , Stockholm, Sweden University Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, , Stockholm, Sweden R&D Unit, , Stockholm, Sweden R&D Unit, , Stockholm, Sweden Theme Womens Health and Allied Health Professionals, Medical Unit Allied Health Professionals, , Stockholm, Sweden Department of Clinical Sciences, , , Stockholm, Sweden Department of Clinical Sciences, , , Stockholm, SwedenBackground To support recovery after stroke, rehabilitative actions and innovations are needed in resource-limited health care and geographically distant regions. Objective The first objective was to explore the feasibility of performing home-based training using the novel DISKO-tool including both telerehabilitation and serious gaming customized to target dynamic balance poststroke. The second objective was to assess the outcome using the Balance Evaluation Systems Test as the primary outcome. Methods This randomized controlled pilot trial, included ambulatory patients ≥18 years of age with physical impairments 3–6 months poststroke. During primary care rehabilitation, patients were randomized to conventional and 6 weeks of DISKO-tool training in the home ( n  = 10) or conventional training only ( n  = 11). Feasibility was assessed with process, resource, management, and scientific perspectives using questionnaires, logbooks, DISKO-tool data and clinical assessments. Results The study design was feasible including safety, resource capacity, a retention rate of 87%, high compliance to the protocol (mean 30 training days), and highly rated experience of the tool (median 10 of 10) despite some technical issues. The recruitment rate was low. The DISKO-group presented improved balance, especially in anticipatory postural adjustment compared to the conventional group ( p  < 0.001; effect size 2.195; 95% CI 1.015–3.336). Conclusions Applying the DISKO-tool in home-based stroke rehabilitation was feasible and the piloted methodology suited for a larger RCT, as long as a wider inclusion time window poststroke is applied to enhance the recruitment rate. Rapid development and a limited lifespan of off-the-shelf hardware products warrant continuous technical development.https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241308614
spellingShingle Elisabet Åkesson
Maria Bergqvist
Maja Eder
Nanna Bäckström
Erika Franzén
Jörgen Borg
Susanne Palmcrantz
Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool
Digital Health
title Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool
title_full Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool
title_fullStr Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool
title_full_unstemmed Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool
title_short Integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home-based exercise intervention after stroke: A randomized controlled pilot trial of the DISKO-tool
title_sort integrating telerehabilitation and serious gaming during home based exercise intervention after stroke a randomized controlled pilot trial of the disko tool
url https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076241308614
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