Activity monitors for increasing physical activity in adult stroke survivors

Abstract

Only four small RCTs with 274 participants (three in inpatient rehabilitation and one in the community) have examined the efficacy of activity monitors for increasing physical activity after stroke. Although these studies showed activity monitors could be incorporated into practice, there is currently not enough evidence to support the use of activity monitors to increase physical activity after stroke.

Digitally enabled aged care and neurological rehabilitation to enhance outcomes with Activity and MObility UsiNg Technology (AMOUNT) in Australia: A randomised controlled trial

“…Virtual reality video games, activity monitors, and handheld computer devices are accessible, affordable, and enjoyable [8], and together can provide a digitally enabled rehabilitation environment by providing more opportunity and greater motivation to increase taskspecific practice in hospital [9] and in the home setting [10]. However, evidence of their impact on outcomes is limited and focused on stroke rehabilitation [11,12]. A systematic review of virtual reality interventions in people after stroke (72 studies) demonstrated a moderate effect on balance, but no effect on walking speed or global motor function when delivered as an adjunct to usual rehabilitation [11].…”

The WeReha Project for an Innovative Home-Based Exercise Training in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Clinical Study

“…During rehabilitation after a stroke, patients require the input of several skilled health care personnel, including rehabilitation physicians, physiotherapists, speech therapists, and occupational therapists but these resources are often unavailable, impeding the recovery from physical limitations among stroke survivors. Thus, technology in home-base rehabilitation is generally considered a positive factor for hospitals and the community, economically and logistically, and, when integrated with conventional rehabilitation protocols, increases activities that are vital for reducing stroke-related disabilities, 20 given that after a stroke, even if mild, patients experience reduced physical activity.…”

Using an Accelerometer-Based Step Counter in Post-Stroke Patients: Validation of a Low-Cost Tool

“…Technologic advancement and improvement in step counter development could help clinicians to obtain new and more reliable data on real-life patients' mobility [14].…”

“…Step counters can be used to detect post-stroke patients' activity levels [25][26][27], assess gait and balance parameters [28,29], and guide the patients in performing exercises [30], as well as acting as a stimulus to increase in-and out-patient activity levels [14]. The literature shows that the monitoring of patients' mobility in an inpatient setting can give information similar to advanced and time-consuming techniques, such as behavioral mapping, and it can be useful to collect the activity levels of hospitalized patients [31].…”

“…A review on wearable sensors for the quantification of, and feedback on, lower extremity movement found that there may be substantial clinical benefits, with more work needed with respect to natural environments and longer monitoring periods [35]. A recent Cochrane review confirmed the interest of scientific literature in the use of accelerometers in stroke patients, investigating the actual role of increasing global activity on the condition of adult stroke survivors; however, this review concluded that there is not enough evidence to support the regular use of accelerometers in clinical practice [14].…”