Led by Dr. Janice Eng at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre in Vancouver and recruiting from six CanStroke sites across five provinces, the Virtual Arm Boot Camp (V-ABC) trial evaluated the effects of a virtually delivered upper-limb rehabilitation program. The intervention consisted of exercise, feedback from a wearable device, and therapist support, aiming to improve upper-limb activity after stroke – a factor linked to improved upper limb recovery.
The trial enrolled 73 participants and employed a waitlist-controlled design to maximize retention and ensure that all participants had access to the intervention. The primary outcome measure was average daily reach-to-grasp counts at four weeks post-baseline, averaged over three days.
Results showed that the V-ABC group demonstrated significant increases in daily reach-to-grasp counts at four weeks compared to control, providing evidence for the efficacy of virtually delivered rehabilitation in improving upper-limb activity post-stroke.
Future studies are in preparation to examine the patients’ views and experiences of the virtual upper-limb program, including the wearable sensor, assigned exercises, therapy sessions, and efforts to integrate their affected arms more during daily activities.
The full publication can be viewed here: