The "Feedback Integrated Rehabilitation for Sit-to-stand Training": a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Testing Clinical Acceptability and Effectiveness

The sit-to-stand (STS) movement is a key functional movement critical to independent living. This movement is physically demanding to conduct, especially in older adults, and in the presence of physical impairments associated with a range of conditions, such as stroke, osteoarthritis, Parkinson disease and hip arthroplasty. A limited capacity to perform this movement increases the risk of falls, dependency and increased support for personal care and rehabilitation. Restoring independence in this movement is, therefore, considered a priority for physical rehabilitation.

Sit-to-stand capacity can be regained through participating in rehabilitation exercises. Providing feedback on performance of this movement could enhance the training. Thus, it is an essential aspect of physical therapy. Healthcare providers are required to meet the needs of an increasingly frail population as well as meeting national, evidence-based, guidelines for improving outcomes in conditions such as stroke which includes an increase in the practice repetition of functional movements. Reliance on rehabilitation staff to provide practice, however, places a limit on practice volume, potentially restricting outcomes. Using technology to enhance safe, repetitive practice of this movement with minimal supervision from skilled professionals would be beneficial to patients and rehabilitation services.

The primary aim of this study is to test the acceptability and feasibility of a STS training system that enhances movement feedback to patients undergoing rehabilitation. A secondary aim is to gather data on the effectiveness of the system compared to conventional rehabilitation. This information will inform a statistically powered phase 2 trial.