Virtual Trainers Help Adults with Cerebral Palsy

A new program is making physical and occupational therapy more convenient for adults with cerebral palsy. Using the Internet, the program connects adult cerebral palsy patients to “virtual trainers” who help them complete movement-based training from the comfort of their own homes.

The Upper Limb Training and Assessment Program, also known as ULTrA, is part of a joint research and movement therapy project aimed at helping adults who have upper limb and hand impairment.

“Physical and occupational therapy are the most important treatments for cerebral palsy. The ULTrA program works with the idea of bringing therapy into the home to allow adults to do their therapy at a time that’s convenient for them,” said Dr. Edward Hurvitz of the University of Michigan.

How The Program Works

Patients participating in the program have their homes equipped with the computer-based training unit, a training CD, and a high-speed Internet connection. They then complete five 40-minute training sessions a week over the course of an eight-week period.

“The computer interface in the individual’s home includes computer-generated images of people stretching, and we also have people in our lab who are able to coach and provide encouragement to participants via web cameras. Being connected to the patients allows us to modify their program as needed, without them coming into the research lab or clinic,” said Susan Brown, Ph.D.

Opening Up Worlds

Brown, who directs the Motor Control Lab at the U-M School of Kinesiology, said that the technology has “real potential to open up the world for people who have mobility issues.”

One cerebral palsy patient, 41-year-old Laura Grable, praised the project.

“The ULTrA project is a step toward moving cerebral palsy treatment into the 21 st century. There’s the potential to figure out how to improve range of motion and daily quality of life for people with CP,” she said.