Investigating the Effects of Dexteria App Therapy on Hand Function in Subacute Stroke Survivors

Objectives: Hand function impairment causes limitations in activities of daily living among stroke survivors. Dexteria app therapy is a game-based therapy with the use of a touchscreen gadget that involves various hand movements. This study evaluates the effect of Dexteria app therapy on hand function in sub-acute stroke survivors. Methods: This study included ۲۶ subacute stroke survivors, randomly allocated into ۲ groups as follows: Group A (n=۱۳) received conventional hand therapy while group B (n=۱۳) received Dexteria app therapy. Both groups received ۲۱ sixty-min therapy sessions. Gross hand function and fine manipulative hand function were assessed using the Brunnstrom hand recovery voluntary control grades and the Jebsen hand function test, respectively. Results: Inter-group comparison using the Wilcoxon rank sum test of the mean difference between groups A and B showed a significant difference in the Brunnstrom hand recovery voluntary control grades Z value which equaled -۳.۲۷۲ with P=۰.۰۰۱ and Jebsen hand function test Z=-۳.۰ and P=۰.۰۰۲. Discussion: Dexteria app therapy showed significant improvement in gross motor function and fine motor hand function than conventional therapy in sub-acute stroke survivors.

Keywords:

Stroke , Paresis , Hand , Movement , Technology , Therapeutics