Effectiveness of commercial video gaming on fine motor recovery in chronic stroke within community-level rehabilitation

Introduction: Chronic stroke survivors often live with persisting upper extremity deficits that affect their daily life, and are traditionally offered little rehabilitation. Commercial gaming can act as a motivating way to complete rehabilitation. Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of commercial gaming as an intervention for fine motor recovery in chronic stroke. Methods: Ten chronic phase post-stroke participants completed a 16-session program using the Nintendo Wii for 15 minutes 2x/week with their more affected hand. Measures used at four testing sessions included: Jebsen Hand Function Test (JHFT), Box and Blocks Test (BBT), Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT), Stroke Impact Scale (SIS). Results: Significant improvements were found with the JHFT, BBT and NHPT from pre-testing to post-testing. There was an increase in perceived quality of life from pre-testing to post-testing, as determined by the SIS. Conclusion: Commercial gaming may be a viable resource for those with chronic stroke