Abstract
BackgroundNon-immersive video games are currently being used as technological rehabilitation tools for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Leap Motion Controller® (LMC) system used with serious games designed for the upper limb (UL), as well as the levels of satisfaction and compliance among patients in mild-to-moderate stages of the disease.MethodsA non-probabilistic sampling of non-consecutive cases was performed. 23 PD patients, in stages II-IV of the Hoehn & Yahr scale, were randomized into two groups: an experimental group (n = 12) who received treatment based on serious games designed by the research team using the LMC system for the UL, and a control group (n = 11) who received a specific intervention for the UL. Grip muscle strength, coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity, as well as satisfaction and compliance, were assessed in both groups pre-treatment and post-treatment.ResultsWithin the experimental group, significant improvements were observed in all post-treatment assessments, except for Box and Blocks test for the less affected side. Clinical improvements were observed for all assessments in the control group. Statistical intergroup analysis showed significant improvements in coordination, speed of movements and fine motor dexterity scores on the more affected side of patients in the experimental group.ConclusionsThe LMC system and the serious games designed may be a feasible rehabilitation tool for the improvement of coordination, speed of movements and fine UL dexterity in PD patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Highlights
The second most common neurodegenerative disorder, after Alzheimer’s disease, is Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is prevalent in approximately 1% of people aged 60 years or older [1, 2]
The cardinal symptoms are: bradykinesia, defined in part by James Parkinson as being “lessened muscular power”, and which manifests as slowness of movement; rigidity, defined as an increased muscular tone when the limb is passively moved and which is usually experienced as a sense of feeling stiff and uncomfortable; resting tremor, defined as a repetitive back-and-forth movement of any limb, which occurs when that part of the body is not actively moving; and postural instability: which refers to an impaired reaction when balance is perturbed
The patients were randomly assigned into two groups, 12 of whom were assigned to the experimental group while 11 were assigned to the control group (Table 1)
Summary
The second most common neurodegenerative disorder, after Alzheimer’s disease, is Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is prevalent in approximately 1% of people aged 60 years or older [1, 2] This disorder, which predominately impairs motor function, affects 1–5% of individuals aged 65–69 years of age and 1–3% of those above 80 years of age. Patients with PD typically suffer from a wide range of motor and non-motor problems [3] These signs and symptoms impair the performance of their daily activities, reducing their level of independence. Non-immersive video games are currently being used as technological rehabilitation tools for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) The aim of this feasibility study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Leap Motion Controller® (LMC) system used with serious games designed for the upper limb (UL), as well as the levels of satisfaction and compliance among patients in mild-to-moderate stages of the disease
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