Virtual Rehabilitation Program Using Kinect and Leap Motion Sensor Enhances Upper Limb Function in Stroke Patients

Virtual reality is being increasingly used in the field of rehabilitation. We tested the benefit of a non-immersive virtual rehabilitation program using the Kinect and Leap Motion sensor in the upper limb rehabilitation in subacute and chronic stroke patients. A total of 30 stroke survivors were randomly assigned in two groups in a 1:1 ratio. The active group benefited from 10 sessions of 30 minutes of virtual rehabilitation program added to the standard rehabilitation therapy. The control group received 10 sessions of 1.5 hours/day of standard rehabilitation therapy during their 14 days hospitalization. Upper limb function was assessed using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) and Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assessment (UE-FM) at the beginning and at the end of the 14 days of study. The ARAT and UE-FM improvements were significantly higher in the active group compared to the control group. ARAT improvement was 8.13±5.74 points in the active group versus 2(0.25-2) points in the control group, p=0.0003. The UE-FM improvement was 6.86±3.11 points in the intervention group versus 2.2±1.14 points in the control group, p<0.0001. Virtual rehabilitation therapy was equally effective in the subacute and chronic stroke patients. In the subacute stroke patients, the ARAT improvement was 7.37±6.27 points versus 9±5.41 points in chronic stroke patients (p=0.6). UE-FM improvement in subacute stroke patients was 7.25±3.99 points versus 6.42±1.9 points in chronic patients (p=0.62). Conclusions: Non-immersive virtual reality program improved motor recovery in stroke patients. Both subacute and chronic patients benefited from the virtual therapy.