Designing an app for home-based enriched Music-supported Therapy in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic stroke: a pilot feasibility study

ABSTRACT

Objective

After completing formal stroke rehabilitation programs, most patients do not achieve full upper limb motor function recovery. Music-supported Therapy (MST) can improve motor functionality post stroke through musical training. We designed a home-based enriched Music-supported Therapy (eMST) program to provide patients with chronic stroke the opportunity of continuing rehabilitation by themselves. We developed an app to conduct the eMST sessions at home with a MIDI-piano and percussion instruments. Here, we tested the feasibility of the eMST intervention using the novel app.

Method

This is a pilot study where five patients with chronic stroke underwent a 10-week intervention of 3 sessions per week. Patients answered feasibility questionnaires throughout the intervention to modify aspects of the rehabilitation program and the app according to their feedback. Upper limb motor functions were evaluated pre- and post-intervention as well as speed and force tapping during daily piano performance.

Results

Patients clinically improved in upper limb motor function achieving the Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) or Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) in most of motor tests. The app received high usability ratings post-intervention.

Conclusion

The eMST program is a feasible intervention for patients with chronic stroke and its efficacy should be assessed in a clinical trial.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronic stroke
• telerehabilitation
• Music-supported therapy
• motor function

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (ref. PGC2018-099859-B-I00) to A.R.F, by 2017-SGR-172 from Generalitat de Catalunya to J.L.A. Study resulting from the 201729.30 project, funded by Fundació La Marató de TV3. We thank CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya for institutional support. We also thank the persons with chronic stroke who participated in the study as well as the Associació Superar l’Ictus Barcelona for their help in the recruitment process.

Data availability statement

Anonymized data will be shared with qualified investigators on request. Data and materials can be accessed by contacting the corresponding author and in the research group webpage: https://www.brainvitge.org.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundació La Marató de TV3 (2016, Stroke and traumatic spinal cord and brain injury program) under Grant number 201729.30.