An Alternative Approach To Home-Based Rehabilitation Of Children With Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Among neuromuscular diseases, Spinal Muscular Atrophies (SMA) are particularly studied, mainly because of their early onset and their severity, especially in Type 1 and 2 atrophy. Common rehabilitation protocols in such cases include recurrent visits at clinics and recurrent, often tedious treatments, that could impact the mood of the patients, especially among children and, consequently, possibly affect their overall motivation towards the protocol undergone. In this pilot study, an alternative rehabilitation protocol is proposed, based on the employment of a Nintendo Wii entertainment platform for at-home treatment, therefore minimizing the need for frequent recalls at clinics. A minimally obtrusive sensor system for evaluating the muscular fatigue based on surface electromyography (sEMG) is added. This approach has been demonstrated to be acceptable by the patients, although its effectiveness should be evaluated on a larger cohort. However, the overall platform could form the basis for future home-based rehabilitation methods in neuromuscular diseases.