A new study is inviting stroke survivors with limited movement to take part in research that has turned rehabilitation exercises into a fun online game.
The University of Exeter study is exploring whether game-based exercises can help people regain movement and confidence at home, even several years after a stroke.
Stroke affects around 100,000 people in the UK every year, and more than 1.2 million people are living with its effects. About 70 per cent of them are left with upper limb impairments. While rehabilitation is known to improve recovery, many survivors experience limited access for ongoing support once they leave hospital.
Even six years after his stroke, Bernie Kielty, aged 74, a retired crane operator from Whimple in East Devon, is still rebuilding his strength. The stroke affected the left side of his body and changed daily life for him and his wife, Sally, 70. After several weeks in hospital and a short period of physiotherapy at home, Bernie found that he could barely move his left arm years after his stroke, and he struggled with everyday actions such as tying shoelaces, putting on socks or picking up his young grandchild.
Bernie said: "It was devastating. I'd spent my working life supervising cranes and heavy lifts, always in control, and suddenly I couldn't do the most basic things for myself. You lose movement, you lose confidence, and it's hard not to feel that life has stopped."
One of the moments Bernie remembers most clearly is the battle to walk his daughter down the aisle a few months after leaving hospital. It took months of intensive rehabilitation and careful preparation, but he was determined to get there. Achieving that goal was a turning point, a sign that progress was still possible. And now, six years on, he is able to perform more tasks having regained some of the movement in his left arm after taking part in the new study.
Bernie was introduced to the study in 2024. He carried out some of his rehabilitation in the University of Exeter's VSimulator, a specialist motion capture facility that uses technology to monitor movement and provide tailored exercises. Bernie then completed game-based rehabilitation tasks such as a virtual basketball challenge and a flower picking activity, which encouraged regular movement and supported gradual improvement.
His wife Sally expressed relief that the study allowed Bernie to access the games whenever he chose, and to make progress, regaining some of the movement in his left arm: "When someone you love has a stroke, life changes overnight. You just adapt and you do your best to manage it together. We were grateful for the care Bernie received in hospital, but it was difficult trying to continue the rehabilitation at home. As the partner you want to help, but you are not a therapist and you are worried about doing something the wrong way. These games were fantastic. Bernie really stuck with them and wanted to win, and we finally see more progress on his movement."
Bernie said: "The exercises I was given were something I could do at home, and I could see the progress. Opening a milk bottle may seem small to others, but for me it was pure relief. It showed me I could live again. The best part is being able to get down and play with my grandchildren - even though getting back up can be a struggle! It has given me more confidence and independence. If my experience helps even one other person keep going, then taking part will have been worth it."
Rehabilitation has helped Bernie regain strength and confidence. Regaining his driving licence and returning to driving has been an important milestone, giving him back a sense of freedom and helping him stay active with his family.
Hatem Lazem, a physiotherapist and academic researcher who is leading the study, said: "We're investigating whether game-based rehabilitation can support recovery for people who have reduced movement after a stroke. The approach allows us to measure progress and encourage repeated movement, which is vital for rehabilitation. By combining non-immersive virtual reality technology with gamified exercises, we can make rehabilitation more, motivating, engaging and easier to continue at home. Our early findings show that people enjoy taking part and are motivated to keep practising their exercises at home, enhancing their upper limb function and quality of life and reducing shoulder pain. This can make a real difference and build hope for recovery, and give back some control to stroke survivors"
Professor Helen Dawes, of the University of Exeter, is the theme lead for rehabilitation at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Exeter Biomedical Research Centre, which supports the study. She said:"We know that rehabilitation is effective and can make a huge difference to improving movement after a stroke. However, NHS programmes are often difficult to access or may not continue long enough. We're looking for people whose movement has been restricted by stroke to join us. Ultimately, we want to make these exercises widely available and help people stay engaged with their rehabilitation to improve quality of life."
The research is also supported by the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre is Sustainable Development, the Medical Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Egyptian government.
