Research Studies

Effect of Task Requirements on Paretic Upper Extremity Use

The purpose of this study is to be able to modify physical rehabilitation in individuals post-stroke by identifying the task requirements that affect functional use of the upper extremities during various reaching tasks. By identifying the responses to task requirements in individuals post-stroke compared to healthy controls, these aspects of reaching can be practiced post-stroke to better facilitate translation from practice in rehabilitation to use in every day life. Participants who are chronic post-stroke carried out simple sitting reaching tasks in the lab while being videotaped. Analysis of the recordings were completed using a kinematics system and EMG monitoring. Data was then scored to describe how certain task requirements (location of object in workspace, speed of movement, size of object) influenced use of the affected arm or not, and choice to carry out the tasks using one arm or both. Using this data, we are able to compare analyses of reaching under different task requirements to a healthy control cohort. Collectively, this information about choice of upper extremity use in healthy controls and participants post-stroke will provide insights into how to better facilitate use of the affected extremity post-stroke in daily life.

 

 

 

Effects of Short-Term High Dose Accelerometer-Based Feedback on Paretic Upper Extremity Use in Subjects Post-Stroke

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of accelerometers in individuals post-stroke to provide feedback in hopes to encourage use of their affected extremity in everyday life. From this, we will have an enhanced understanding of the best way to encourage use of both upper limbs post-stroke. Participants who were chronic post-stroke wore accelerometers on each wrist during all waking hours at home for 3 weeks while doing everyday tasks. The accelerometers collected data that was converted into actual amount of use. The lab investigators went to the participants’ homes 2-3 times per week for three weeks to provide accelerometer based feedback about use of the affected arm, use of both arms, ratio of affected versus unaffected arm use, use during different times of day, and improvement in use across days. The study also explored participants’ perceptions of affected arm use and actual capability (Wolf Motor Function Test). Accelerometers encouraged awareness of decreased use of the affected arm overall and increased overall use of the affected arm. We plan to study the combination of accelerometer based feedback and traditional therapy in the near future. We are hopeful that accelerometers and accelerometer-based feedback will be used as a successful adjunctive therapy in the future to combat learned non-use.

 

 

Feasibility and Effects of Accelerometer Based Feedback on Paretic Upper Extremity Amount of Use in the Home Setting in Subjects Chronic Post-Stroke

The purpose of this study is to determine the feasibility of using accelerometers on the upper extremities for quantifying the use of an individual's affected and non-affected limb in everyday life. Understanding the feasibility of using accelerometers will allow therapist's to augment interventions outside of rehabilitation practice. Both healthy control subjects and subjects who were chronic post-stroke participated in a home study in which they wore wrist accelerometers on each arm for all waking hours. Data on the use of the upper extremity was collected for three weeks to determine feasibility of using accelerometers to measure upper extremity use of people post-stroke in the home setting and if the accelerometers can detect differences in the amount of use between people post-stroke and healthy control subjects. Findings from this study contribute to the current knowledge of stroke rehabilitation and how better rehabilitation can be provided to people post-stroke with relatively inexpensive equipment such as accelerometers.

 
 

An Intergenerational and Interprofessional Collaborative Civic Engagement Project

The purpose of this study is to create a team of students and community elders to collaborate on a project that would encourage exercise in the elderly population and explore intergenerational attitudes. From this, students and community elders gained enhanced perceptions of one another while promoting wellness in the community. Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy students and faculty worked with active community seniors to collaborate on a project making exercises for homebound seniors. Under the supervision of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy professors, students worked with community seniors on recording exercises that are aired on television. Secondarily, this study explored intergenerational attitudes, both how older adults perceived the students and how the students perceived the older adults before and after the civic engagement project. Through a focus group, the primary themes were mutually positive intergenerational experiences on everyone's part, students learned about community resources and revised their perceptions of older adults, and seniors were able to share their valuable life experiences. In the future, more work can be done to integrate active community seniors to promote intergenerational interactions and utilizing their efforts to promote health and wellness to other seniors.