Targeting muscle strength loss due to hospitalization in older adults by blood-flow restriction combined with an EMG driven serious game.
During hospitalization, older adults rapidly lose muscle mass, leading to functional decline unrelated to their admission condition. It is well documented that immobility significantly weakens muscles, particularly in those over 60, with effects within the first week. This loss prolongs hospital stays, reduces functional abilities, lowers quality of life, and increases mortality rates. High load dynamic strength exercises (i.e. moving limb against high resistance) are optimal for combating muscle strength loss. However, bedridden or support-restricted patients cannot engage in such dynamic exercises (PROBLEM1). Isometric strength exercises (i.e. contracting muscles without limb movement) are the preferred choice for early-stay hospital rehabilitation. The addition of blood flow restriction (BFR) to such exercises has proven comparable effects as dynamic exercises but BFR is not yet considered as usual care (PROBLEM2). Another barrier is the lack of the patient’s motivation to exercise, particularly without supervision, leading to very low adherence (50% in older adults) (PROBLEM3). Serious games can address this, but despite numerous motivational and behavior change features, most current technological applications lack end-user input and evidence-based clinical recommendations, resulting in wide variability in effectiveness (PROBLEM4). Our group co-created a serious game with end users to facilitate muscle training in non-therapy time, as an add-on to supervised rehabilitation. The app processes the user’s electromyographical (EMG) data to play an attractive and engaging game that complies with the latest clinical recommendations to treat muscle strength loss. In summary, our aim is to assess (multicenter trial, RCT) in hospitalized older adults(P), the combined BFR and EMG Driven Serious Game intervention(I) compared to standard care(C), focusing on its impact on functional ability(O). Positive outcomes hold promise for reducing healthcare and social expenditures.
More information: https://researchportal.vub.be/en/projects/ghostly-targeting-muscle-strength-loss-due-to-hospitalization-in-
Funding: FWO TBM (Applied Biomedical Research with a Primary Social finality)
RERE PIs: Prof. Eva Swinnen & Prof. David Beckwée