• Marco Iosa, Giovanni Morone, Augusto Fusco, Marcello Castagnoli, Francesca Romana Fusco, Luca Pratesi, and Stefano Paolucci.
• Top Stroke Rehabil. 2015 Aug 1; 22 (4): 306-16.

BackgroundThe leap motion controller (LMC) is a new optoelectronic system for capturing motion of both hands and controlling a virtual environment. Differently from previous devices, it optoelectronically tracks the fine movements of fingers neither using glows nor markers.ObjectiveThis pilot study explored the feasibility of adapting the LMC, developed for videogames, to neurorehabilitation of elderly with subacute stroke.MethodsFour elderly patients (71.50 ± 4.51 years old) affected by stroke in subacute phase were enrolled and tested in a cross-over pilot trial in which six sessions of 30 minutes of LMC videogame-based therapy were added on conventional therapy. Measurements involved participation to the sessions, evaluated by means of the Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Participation Scale, hand ability and grasp force evaluated respectively by means of the Abilhand Scale and by means of the dynamometer.ResultsNeither adverse effects nor spasticity increments were observed during LMC training. Participation to the sessions was excellent in three patients and very good in one patient during the LMC trial. In this period, patients showed a significantly higher improvement in hand abilities (P = 0.028) and grasp force (P = 0.006).ConclusionsThis feasibility pilot study was the first one using leap motion controller for conducting a videogame-based therapy. This study provided a proof of concept that LMC can be a suitable tool even for elderly patients with subacute stroke. LMC training was in fact performed with a high level of active participation, without adverse effects, and contributed to increase the recovery of hand abilities.

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