"Remind-to-Move" for Promoting Upper Extremity Recovery Using Wearable Devices in Subacute Stroke: A Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Study.

This paper examined the effects of "Remind-to-Move" (RTM) via vibration cueing using wearable devices to increase the use of the affected upper limb and integrate upper limb activities undertaken at home in patients with subacute stroke after inpatient discharge. In a multi-centered randomized controlled trial, 84 eligible patients from four general hospitals, who had a first stroke in the last six months, were randomly allocated to either an experimental, sham, or control group, stratified by arm function levels. Patients in the experimental group were treated by RTM, using wearable devices for three consecutive hours daily, over four weeks.

Utility of a unilateral accelerometer for monitoring upper extremity use in subacute stroke patients after discharge from hospital.

This study was to investigate the utility of a unilateral accelerometer, which is commonly used for monitoring upper extremity performance, in subacute stroke patients by comparing its use with other upper extremity assessments. Twenty-four participants were recruited and required to wear an accelerometer on the affected wrist for 3 hours daily for the first 4 weeks after discharge from hospital. Assessments included Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), Box and Block Test (BBT), and self-reporting Motor Activity Log (MAL).