‘Virtual physiotherapy’ helps stroke patients regain the use of their paralysed arms – using video games
The gadget has enabled 93 per cent of users to make meaningful movements, after suffering a stroke
Stroke patients are now able to receive immediate physiotherapy treatment whenever they want - by playing computer games.
Basic virtual games have been designed for paralysed patients to use a tablet with a wireless electronic handgrip which vibrates to their response, however small, while playing.
The device, called GripAble, can detect even the tiniest flicker of movement from paralysed patients allowing them to control games with any standard PC tablet.
One computer game requires the user to squeeze repeatedly to slowly reveal a photograph.
The use of mobile-gaming could provide a cost-effective and easily available means to improve the arm movements of stroke patients but in order to be effective patients of all levels of disability should be able to access it
Dr Paul Bentley from Imperial College London
Research found that the proportion of paralysed stroke patients using the device increased by 50 per cent in comparison to standard methods.
Lead researcher Dr Paul Bentley from Imperial College London said: "In the UK 100,000 new cases of arm weaknesses are diagnosed each year following a stroke.
"Often this impairs people's ability to carry out daily activities, requiring long-term care.
"The use of mobile-gaming could provide a cost-effective and easily available means to improve the arm movements of stroke patients but in order to be effective patients of all levels of disability should be able to access it."
In the study Prof Bentley and his team found that more than half of severely disabled patients were able to engage in arm training software because of the device.
The gadget has enabled 93 per cent of users to make meaningful movements in comparison to 67 per cent who were able to use mobile game devices by swiping on a tablet.
More than five million Brits live with arm weakness, roughly a fifth due to a stroke plus others who have neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.
Stroke treatment on the NHS costs £9 billion a year, just five per cent of the NHS budget, and is spent on repetitive, task-specific exercise limited by cost and availability of physiotherapists.
Prof Bentley and his team hope the device, which comes from a partnership between Imperial College London and three NHS trusts, will revolutionise the treatment of paralysed patients.
Dr Bentley added: "We have developed the gripAble™ device to improve arm and cognitive function of patients who have mild to severe arm weaknesses.
"Unlike other therapies currently on the NHS, gripAble™ is a low cost device which can be used in hospitals and independently by patients at home.
"As such it could potentially help save the health service millions of pounds. We now intend to further develop the device so we can help more patients who are currently suffering from the effects of poor arm and upper body mobility."
Clinical trials were carried out at Charing Cross Hospital in London between 2014 and 2015 and the team testing the device in patients' homes.