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A. Biswas1, M. Natarajan1, J. Solomon1
1Manipal College of Health Professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Physiotherapy, Manipal, India
Background: The motor priming technique of action observation training (AOT) has emerged as an efficacious adjuvant for post stroke recovery of motor function. It has been successfully used in subacute and chronic stroke population for improvement of lower extremity function. There is, however, paucity of information regarding the administrative feasibility of the intervention during acute phase of stroke. In addition to this, the participants’ preference towards the types of videos shown and parameters of used to construct videos has not been studied adequately.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to pilot test the AOT intervention on individuals with acute stroke, to determine its administrative feasibility. Another objective was to identify relevant video parameters to consider while construction of an AOT module and to test stroke survivors’ preference towards these individual parameters under study.
Methods: A novel lower extremity AOT video module was created for pilot testing. After approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC), five individuals were identified for feasibility testing via purposive sampling. The participants had suffered from stroke with onset duration of less than seven days, were haemodynamically stable and had functional vision and communication. They were shown AOT videos and feasibility metrics pertaining to administration and participation to therapy were recorded. AOT videos in various combinations of parameters were presented to an additional five persons with stroke for preference testing. These parameters included screen size and distance from the eye, speed of movements visualised, perspective of view etc. A questionnaire was used to record their preference towards each parameter.
Results: All feasibility metrics tested (process, resource, management and scientific) were satisfied. No barriers were encountered to either administration of the intervention or participation of individuals with acute stroke. With reference to preference of video parameters, a predilection towards videos playing at normal speed, use of mobile devices held slightly above the eye level at about a distance of 60 cm was obtained. However, no consensus was reached about the perspective of view.
Conclusion(s): The AOT model was found to be safe and feasible for use in the acute stroke population. Persons in this phase of stroke are likely to have the capacity to comprehend and follow the intervention without significant difficulty. The participants’ preference towards video parameters were identified, which may be implemented during construction of AOT modules for future clinical use.
Implications: AOT may be used for lower extremity rehabilitation early on after stroke to enhance motor recovery. The results of this study should be tested on a larger scale to make the intervention more robust with respect to the inherent video characteristics as well as use in acute stroke.
Funding, acknowledgements: This is a non-funded original research
Keywords: video parameters, feasibility, hemiparetic gait
Topic: Neurology: stroke
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: Kasturba Hospital, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Committee: Institutional ethics Committee
Ethics number: IEC- 437/2019
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
