Development and feasibility testing of a video-based exercise program for improving upper limb motor function among stroke survivors in a low-income setting

Background: Rehabilitation after stroke often falls short of providing optimal benefits to patients due to challenges related to restricted access, financial burden, and lack of adherence. Video-based intervention may help to overcome these barriers.Purpose: To develop and test the feasibility of video-based telerehabilitation (TR) exercises for facilitating upper extremity motor function among stroke survivors.Method: The study was conducted in two phases: video development and feasibility testing. The research team developed the video. Feasibility was assessed using a single-group pre-test–post-test design, focusing on adherence, acceptability, satisfaction, and motor function. A total of 30 stroke survivors were purposively recruited. Each participant received a 3-minute-42-second video-based TR program to be performed three times weekly over four weeks. Adherence and acceptability were monitored through participant-maintained diaries. Satisfaction and motor function were measured using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire-8 (CSQ-8) and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), respectively.Results: Twenty-nine participants (15 males) completed the study. The participants showed a strong commitment to the intervention with a 97% adherence rate. They accepted and reported the intervention as satisfactory. A remarkable score of satisfaction corroborates this based on the CSQ-8 (Mean [SD] = 28.6 [4.90]). A significant improvement in the WMFT was observed (p < 0.001) with a large effect size (d = 1.14) post-intervention. The mean difference was 8.8, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 4.75 to 12.9.Conclusion: The video-based TR is feasible and can be deployed as a supplementary intervention. Future evaluation of the intervention is warranted to establish its effectiveness.