Feasibility of a Motor-Cognitive Stepping Training Program During Acute Hospitalization in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Abstract

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors often experience mobility issues which are further worsened by cognitive deficits. Dual-task training has shown promising effects in people with TBI. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the novel training concept "StepIt", which addresses motor and cognitive falls-related aspects during acute hospitalization in TBI patients.

Methods: Persons admitted to the hospital with a mild to severe TBI received individual training sessions of approximately 15 minutes per session during their hospital stay according to the "StepIt" training concept. The main outcome was feasibility as measured by rates of recruitment, inclusion, adherence, compliance, attrition, and safety. Secondary outcomes were training performance and user evaluation.

Results: Rates for recruitment, adherence, and compliance were 72.9%, 87.5%, and 93.8%, respectively. No intervention-related adverse events occurred during the study period. The inclusion rate was 7.4% and attrition rate was 42.9%. Overall, four of the six predefined feasibility criteria were met, indicating that modifications to the study design are required before proceeding to a larger-scale study.

Conclusion: The findings support the feasibility of StepIt during acute hospitalization in people with TBI, although modifications to the study design are needed. Future studies should examine its feasibility in different settings, such as inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation.