Feasibility of a live-stream group dance intervention with inpatients in subacute post-stroke rehabilitation: A pilot...

Stroke rehabilitation settings are increasingly seeking to add complementary therapies to disciplinary interventions to intensify and optimize post-stroke care, particularly during the first three months following the stroke. Dance-based interventions have been studied in this context, but the challenges of space availability in rehabilitation settings can hinder such interventions. As telerehabilitation services become more widespread, it is worth considering whether dance could be offered online in patients' rooms.

We sought to co-develop a live-stream group dance intervention with clinicians and test its feasibility in subacute post-stroke rehabilitation.

This two-part qualitative study combined collaborative research with a pilot study. Clinicians (n=7), patients (n=6) and personal support workers/PSWs (n=5) were recruited. The patients were undergoing subacute rehabilitation post-stroke (≤21 days) and were recruited using inclusive criteria. Data were collected through focus groups (n=3) with clinicians, video recordings of dance sessions, a research journal, and semi-structured interviews with patients and PSWs. Data analysis combined analytical questioning and thematic analysis.

After identifying safety concerns, dance content was developed for six movement categories, including "body awareness", "breathing", and "stretching". Technical factors (Internet and software connection issues) and environmental factors (ambient noises and sound of music) significantly hindered the intervention. The use of high-gain wireless USB adapters and noise-cancelling headphones were the main solutions applied to improve the intervention and limit the need for PSW assistance.

A live-stream group dance intervention is feasible for adding therapy hours in subacute post-stroke rehabilitation but requires controlling environmental factors and ensuring favourable technical conditions.