Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Gaming Therapy Versus CI Therapy for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation

Summary

The current proposal aims to conduct a multi-site randomized controlled trial comparing virtual-reality gaming delivery of Constraint Induced Movement therapy (CI therapy) with (1) traditional clinic-based CI therapy of equal total active therapy duration and (2) a control group equating the dose of in-person therapy. Individuals with chronic stroke will be randomized to one of four different interventions: (1) traditional clinic-based CI therapy (35 therapist/client contact hours), (2) therapist-as-consultant virtual reality CI therapy (5 therapist/client contact hours in the clinic and 15 hours of independent game play at home), (3) therapist-as-consultant virtual reality CI therapy with additional therapist contact via telerehabilitation (5 therapist/client contact hours in the clinic, 2.6 therapist contact hours via teleconference, and 15 hours of independent game play in the home), and (4) 5 hours of standard occupational therapy (OT) / physical therapy (PT). After 6-month follow-up, individuals assigned to standard OT/PT will cross over to a modified gaming therapy condition (a stand-alone application of the rehabilitation game without additional therapist contact).

Conditions

• Stroke
• Hemiparesis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Traditional CI Therapy

Intensive in-person therapy for upper extremity hemiparesis.

BEHAVIORAL

Gaming CI Therapy

Intensive remote (via video game) therapy for upper extremity hemiparesis.

BEHAVIORAL

Gaming CI Therapy with Additional Contact via Video Conference

Intensive remote (via video game) therapy for upper extremity hemiparesis with additional therapist contact via video conference.

BEHAVIORAL

Traditional Occupational Therapy/Physical Therapy

Traditional in-person therapy focusing on the rehabilitation of the upper extremity.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• OhioHealth

  collaborator OTHER

• Providence Medical Research Center

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Alabama at Birmingham

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Massachusetts, Lowell

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Missouri-Columbia

  collaborator OTHER

• Ohio State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Deborah Larsen, PhD · The Ohio State U.

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2015-11-30

Primary Completion

2019-09-30

Completion

2019-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations