Successfully Implementing a Clinically-Used Therapy Device in a Home-Therapy Setting

Telerehabilitation has the potential to improve the outcomes of rehabilitation. To expand tele-rehabilitation, the REHA2030 project aimed to integrate medical devices in therapy. To use medical devices in an unsupervised setting within a telerehabilitation system, requirements, processes and control mechanisms need to be defined. In a field trail with four patients and seven therapists, the REHA2030 system with an integrated hand rehabilitation device was evaluated. The aim of including the hand rehabilitation device in combination with a serious game was to increase hand strength and sensor-motor function and to test the feasibility in a home setting. From the four included patients two used the hand rehabilitation device within the field test and trained with it in average 5,8 respectively 5,2 times per week over a period of 10 respectively 5 weeks. The statements of the participants indicate an increase in exercise intensity and frequency and an increase in motivation to practice independently. Easy handling of the system by therapists and patients could also be demonstrated. Further results with more study participants over a longer period of time are needed to validate the results.