Brief name | Rehab-let |
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Why | Increasing treatment intensity can improve the impaired dexterity of the weaker upper extremity however there is insufficient training time for the weak upper extremity during subacute stroke rehabilitation |
What | a. Existing iPad Apps (from the Apple Store (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, USA)) using the Rehab-let protocol (experimental), traditional treatment aids such as blocks, pegs and a towel using the GRASP protocol (control) |
b. A printed manual for self-training of hand movements with description and photos of the apps (experimental) or of the exercises (control) | |
Who provides | Intervention (supervision) and assessments will be performed by occupational therapists who are experts in neurological rehabilitation |
How | The intervention will include self-training during inpatient rehabilitation. Face- to-face individual follow-up meetings with the occupational therapists will occur once a week |
Where | Intervention will take place in in-patient rehabilitation departments. Participants can self-train either in their room or in a quiet corner in the department |
When and how much | Individuals will be requested to self-train 60 minutes a day, 5 times per week for 4 weeks (total of 20 sessions). Four meetings with the occupational therapist will be held during this time as well as pre and post assessment sessions |
Tailoring | Different apps from a pool of about 20 apps that facilitate finger and hand movement (experimental) or different exercises from the GRASP protocol (control) will be taught to each participant according to the motor ability of their upper extremity and preference |