Limbs Alive: How video games aid stroke recovery

Stroke frequently damages the area of the brain controlling movement; as a consequence, there are thousands of people with weakness down one side of their body. This has a major impact on their lives because everyday activities require two hands.

The brain can relearn control of the weak arm, but this needs frequent therapy over many months. There are not enough therapists to provide this on a one-to-one basis, and fewer than 20 per cent of patients regain independence after a stroke.

Professor Janet Eyre and her team at University of Newcastle, part of the company Limbs Alive, have developed a library of video games to be played at home. The games provide highly motivating therapy for relearning arm and hand movements.

The aim of the project is to analyse information about how patients perform arm and hand movements during the video games to provide feedback to the patient and their therapist via the internet. This will enable the effective rehabilitation of arm and hand movements to be delivered at home, at times and places to suit patients, while maintaining expert supervision from a therapist.

The need for hospital visits will be greatly reduced, patients will have the opportunity to undertake more frequent therapy sessions, therapists will be able to supervise more patients and patients should regain greater independence.

Running time: 4 min 26 s

This work is supported by the Health Innovation Challenge Fund.