[home] [Personal Program] [Help]

---

Session: Poster Session 1 (Even numbers)
Session starts: Thursday 26 January, 16:00
Presentation starts: 16:00

---

Luis Felipe García Arias (University of Groningen)
Martje van Egmond (University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen)
Marina de Koning-Tijssen (University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen)
Elisabeth Wilhelm (University of Groningen)

Abstract:
Cervical Dystonia (CD) is a life-lasting movement disorder causing depression, anxiety, and loss of self-confidence [1]. Treatment of CD requires an intense rehabilitation program, which is expensive and difficult to conciliate with daily living activities [2]. Since feedback is absent during home-based therapy, the patient could perform unintended movements and affect the rehabilitation outcomes. Performing the wrong movements can lead to a lack of progress perception, and the patient can feel demotivated to follow the treatment. Positive reinforcement and motivational strategies can be mediated by a videogame in addition to feedback on exercise execution [3]. Moreover, improving home-based exercises could reduce costs to the health system, enhance adherence and improve therapy outcomes [4], [5]. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of home training using virtual reality and the optimal number and location of sensors for providing feedback based on the movements and muscular activity of the patient. A prototype of a serious game to rehabilitate CD, which introduces the exercises and guides the user towards the desired position, will be developed. The prototype will give visual feedback based on the movement of the user. Five adults diagnosed with CD will be recruited from the outpatients of the University Medical Center of Groningen (UMCG). Inclusion criteria are stable treatment based on botulin neurotoxin for at least a year and no neurological comorbidities. After signing informed consent, basic demographic information will be recorded. While playing the game, the participants will use Inertial Movement Units (IMU) located in the forehead, the first and seventh cervical vertebrae, both scapulae, and the eighth thoracic vertebra. In addition, sternocleidomastoid, spinalis, levator, splenius capitis, and trapezius descendens muscles will be monitored using surface electromyography (EMG). The game will consist of following a bird in a virtual forest; the path the bird flies will be set according to the direction of the patient’s dystonic movements. After the game, the Active Range of Movement will be recorded, and the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory and information about the user’s experience will be assessed with 7-point Likert scales. The data will be used to identify the locations of both IMU and EMG that contain the most information about movement and muscles activation to give feedback. The subjective feedback will be used to improve the gaming experience.