Overview
The purpose of the study is to explore the feasibility of using a wearable device, called a myoelectric-computer interface (MCI), to improve arm movement in people who have had a stroke.
Impaired arm movement after stroke is caused not just by weakness, but also by impaired coordination between joints due to abnormal co-activation of muscles. These abnormal co-activation patterns are thought to be due to abnormal movement planning.The MCI aims to reduce abnormal co-activation by providing feedback about individual muscle activations.
This randomized, controlled, blinded study will test the home use of an MCI in chronic and acute stroke survivors.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
Chronic stroke participants
- Hemiparesis from first ever stroke at least 6 months prior to screening
- Severe motor impairment (FMA of 7-30)
- At least some voluntary shoulder and elbow muscle activation.
Acute stroke participants
- Hemiparesis from first ever stroke within the past 21 days
- Severe motor impairment (FMA of 3-20), or total Manual Motor Score of 1-8 combined in Shoulder Abduction and Finger Extensors
Exclusion Criteria:
- Cognitive impairment with at least moderately impaired attention, or unable to follow instructions of the MCI task
- Visual impairment (such as hemianopia) preventing full view of the screen
- Anesthesia or neglect in the affected arm, or visual hemineglect (score of 2 on the NIH Stroke Scale Extinction and Inattention subtest).
- Participation in another study on the affected arm within 6 weeks of enrollment or any pharmacological study
- Inability to understand or follow commands in English due to aphasia or other reason
- Diffuse or multifocal infarcts
- Substantial arm pain preventing participation for 90 minutes a day
- New spasticity treatment (pharmacological or Botox)