Art skill-based rehabilitation training for upper limb sensorimotor recovery post-stroke: A feasibility study

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of delivering Art skill-based Rehabilitation Training (ART), a novel upper limb motor training program, to patients with stroke as an adjunct to standard care in an inpatient setting. Design: Feasibility study. Setting: Inpatient stroke rehabilitation unit at a university hospital. Participants: Thirty-eight patients admitted to a stroke rehabilitation unit with upper limb motor impairment were enrolled in the ART program facilitated by trained non-healthcare professionals between December 2017 and June 2021. Intervention: The ART program included nine, one-hour sessions of supervised tracing and freehand drawing tasks completed with both hands. This program was intended to be delivered at a frequency of three times per week over a duration of 3 weeks or for the length of inpatient stay. Main outcome measures: Feasibility outcomes included ART program adherence, acceptability, and safety. Results: Thirty-two (84%) participants with subacute stroke completed the ART program and 30 (79%) were included in the study analysis. Participants completed 93–100% of the ART tasks in a median [IQR] of 8 [6–10] ART sessions over a median [IQR] duration of 15 [7–19] days. ART program facilitators effectively provided upper limb assistance to patients with more severe upper limb impairments. Adherence and acceptability were high and no study-related adverse events occurred. Conclusion: The ART program was feasible to deliver and highly acceptable to patients with stroke. Further research is warranted to explore the impact of ART on upper limb sensorimotor function and use.