Motor priming to enhance the effect of physical therapy in people with spinal cord injury.

Context: Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is an emerging neurorehabilitation therapy for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Objective: The study aimed to test whether priming the sensorimotor system using BCI-controlled functional electrical stimulation (FES) before physical practice is more beneficial than physical practice alone.

Methods: Ten people with subacute SCI participated in a randomized control trial where the experimental ( = 5) group underwent BCI-FES priming (∼15 min) before physical practice (30 min), while the control ( = 5) group performed physical practice (40 min) of the dominant hand.

Validation of smartphone step count algorithm used in STARFISH smartphone application.

Background: Smartphone sensors are underutilised in rehabilitation.

Objective: To validate the step count algorithm used in the STARFISH smartphone application.

Methods: Twenty-two healthy adults (8 male, 14 female) walked on a treadmill for 5 minutes at 0.

Increasing physical activity in older adults using STARFISH, an interactive smartphone application (app); a pilot study.

Background: Increasing physical activity in older adults has preventative and therapeutic health benefits. We have developed STARFISH, a smartphone application, to increase physical activity. This paper describes the features of STARFISH, presents the views of older users on the acceptability and usability of the app and reports the results of a six week pilot study of the STARFISH app in older adults.

Increasing physical activity in stroke survivors using STARFISH, an interactive mobile phone application: a pilot study.

Background: Following stroke, people are generally less active and more sedentary which can worsen outcomes. Mobile phone applications (apps) can support change in health behaviors. We developed STARFISH, a mobile phone app-based intervention, which incorporates evidence-based behavior change techniques (feedback, self-monitoring and social support), in which users' physical activity is visualized by fish swimming.

Physical activity profiles and sedentary behaviour in people following stroke: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To measure and compare physical activity profiles and sedentary time between community dwelling stroke survivors and healthy volunteers.

Methods: Twenty-two stroke survivors (10 men, age 55.3 ± 9.