Gamified sensor-based upper extremity functional rehabilitation in individuals with spinal cord injury: a pilot clinical trial protocol

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a life-altering condition that impacts physical, functional, and psychosocial well-being. Regardless of the cause, restoring hand function is the first priority for tetraplegic people which tend to place more emphasis on independence and activity limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) in SCI. Traditional rehabilitation strategies often result in limited motor recovery, highlighting the need for adjunctive approaches. Emerging evidence suggests that gamified sensor-based interventions may augment conventional therapy by increasing patient engagement, enhancing neuroplasticity, and supporting motor relearning through task-specific, interactive training paradigms. This single-arm, single-center pilot study is primarily designed to evaluate the feasibility of delivering gamified sensor-based upper extremity rehabilitation in individuals with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Feasibility parameters include recruitment and retention rates, adherence to the intervention, and participant satisfaction. Twenty participants aged 18–65 years with cervical SCI (AIS A–D) will be recruited. The intervention comprises 25 sessions over 5 weeks using a gamified sensor-based rehabilitation system. Secondary, exploratory objectives will examine preliminary trends in motor and functional outcomes through descriptive statistics and effect size estimation. Findings from this study will provide preliminary feasibility data on the implementation of gamified sensor-based upper extremity rehabilitation in individuals with SCI. Results will help refine the methodological design for a future adequately powered randomized controlled trial. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov – CTRI/2025/06/088222.