Designing and Developing Four Games for Rehabilitation of the Wrist Complex and Forearm Complex: An Action Research

Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

1 Student, Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Student, Rehabilitation Students Research Center (Treata), Department of Physicaltherapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Musculoskeletal Research Center AND Department of Physical Therapy, Rehabilitation Research Institute and School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

10.22122/jrrs.v15i6.3456

Abstract

Introduction: Virtual reality (VR) games are among the rehabilitation strategies that, while effective, are attractive to the individual and facilitate and encourage proper movement. In this study, four VR games were designed and assessed to encourage the movements of the forearm and wrist complexs.Materials and Methods: The games were designed using the leap motion device, a small non-tactile device with good spatial resolution. Cameras were responsible for detecting the depth and distance of the hand from the device, and the infrared sensors were responsible for detecting hand movements. In order to determine the level of attractiveness of the game for people with upper motor neuron disorders, three individuals aged 18 to 41 were randomly selected from among the people referred to the physiotherapy department of Al-Zahra Educational and Medical Center, Tehran, Iran.Results: The effectiveness of the games was confirmed by board members of department of physical therapy. Three games were applicable in the early stages of rehabilitation for all three participants. One game could not be used in the early stages of rehabilitation due to the complexity of the required movement.Conclusion: The four designed games required the basic movements required for daily and self-care activities and seemed to appeal the younger users.

Keywords

  1. O'Sullivan SB, Schmitz TJ, Fulk G. Physical Rehabilitation. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company; 2014.
  2. Yip DW, Lui F. Physiology, Motor Cortical. StatPearls [Internet]: Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing; 2019.
  3. Byrne JH, Dafny N. Neuroanatomy Online [Online]. [cited 2014]; Available from: URL: https://nba.uth.tmc.edu/neuroanatomy/
  4. Hatem SM, Saussez G, Della FM, Prist V, Zhang X, Dispa D, et al. Rehabilitation of motor function after stroke: A multiple systematic review focused on techniques to stimulate upper extremity recovery. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10: 442.
  5. Bhasin TK, Brocksen S, Avchen RN, Van Naarden BK. Prevalence of four developmental disabilities among children aged 8 years--Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program, 1996 and 2000. MMWR Surveill Summ 2006; 55(1): 1-9.
  6. Accardo P, Capute AJ. Capute and Accardo's neurodevelopmental disabilities in infancy and childhood: Neurodevelopmental diagnosis and treatment. 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing; 2007.
  7. Fernandez-Gonzalez P, Carratala-Tejada M, Monge-Pereira E, Collado-Vazquez S, Sanchez-Herrera BP, Cuesta-Gomez A, et al. Leap motion controlled video game-based therapy for upper limb rehabilitation in patients with Parkinson's disease: A feasibility study. J Neuroeng Rehabil 2019; 16(1): 133.
  8. Mazzoni P, Shabbott B, Cortes JC. Motor control abnormalities in Parkinson's disease. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2012; 2(6): a009282.
  9. Baradaran N, Tan SN, Liu A, Ashoori A, Palmer SJ, Wang ZJ, et al. Parkinson's disease rigidity: Relation to brain connectivity and motor performance. Front Neurol 2013; 4: 67.
  10. Mukherjee A, Chakravarty A. Spasticity mechanisms - for the clinician. Front Neurol 2010; 1: 149.
  11. Truelsen T, Begg S, Mathers C. The global burden of cerebrovascular disease [Online]. [cited 2006 Jan]; Available from: URL: https://www.who.int/healthinfo/statistics/bod_cerebrovasculardiseasestroke.pdf
  12. Li S. Spasticity, motor recovery, and neural plasticity after stroke. Front Neurol 2017; 8: 120.
  13. Dias P, Silva R, Amorim P, Lains J, Roque E, Pereira ISF, et al. Using virtual reality to increase motivation in poststroke rehabilitation. IEEE Comput Graph Appl 2019; 39(1): 64-70.
  14. Cheng Z, Dan H. Virtual campus based on unity3D. Adv Mater Res 2014; 1049-1050: 1856-9.
  15. Sharma A, Yadav A, Srivastava S, Gupta R. Analysis of movement and gesture recognition using Leap Motion Controller. Procedia Computer Science 2018; 132: 551-6.
  16. Kendall FP. Muscles: Testing and function, with posture and pain. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2005.
  17. Walton JN. Research in muscular dystrophy. Nature 1970; 228(5270): 417-8.
  18. Carlsson H, Gard G, Brogardh C. Upper-limb sensory impairments after stroke: Self-reported experiences of daily life and rehabilitation. J Rehabil Med 2018; 50(1): 45-51.
  19. Rhee PC. Surgical management of upper extremity deformities in patients with upper motor neuron syndrome. J Hand Surg Am 2019; 44(3): 223-35.
  20. Hayward KS, Kramer SF, Thijs V, Ratcliffe J, Ward NS, Churilov L, et al. A systematic review protocol of timing, efficacy and cost effectiveness of upper limb therapy for motor recovery post-stroke. Syst Rev 2019; 8(1): 187.
  21. Flores E, Tobon G, Cavallaro E, Cavallaro F, Perry J, Keller T. Improving patient motivation in game development for motor deficit rehabilitation. Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Technology (ACE 2008); 2008 Dec 3-5; Yokohama, Japan.
  22. Cochrane R. Comparison of virtual reality therapy and conventional therapy on upper limb function and ocular tracking on individuals with Parkinson's disease: A single blind randomized control study [MSc Thesis]. Pretoria, South Africa: University of Pretoria; 2016.
  23. Saposnik G, Levin M. Virtual reality in stroke rehabilitation: A meta-analysis and implications for clinicians. Stroke 2011; 42(5): 1380-6.
  24. Wang ZR, Wang P, Xing L, Mei LP, Zhao J, Zhang T. Leap motion-based virtual reality training for improving motor functional recovery of upper limbs and neural reorganization in subacute stroke patients. Neural Regen Res 2017; 12(11): 1823-31.