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Who is it for? 

Recovery Rapids was designed for people with neurologic or balance impairments. The balance game can be played seated or standing to accommodate all users. For the upper extremity rehabilitation game, the player must have some ability to control the weaker arm in order to operate the game. He or she must be able to 1) extend the arm 45 degrees in front of the body, 2) extend the arm 30 degrees to the side, 3) flex the elbow 30 degrees, 4) get the hand above the height of the shoulder using any motion.

Is hand function required? 

The upper extremity game progresses the user to work on hand function, but hand movement is not required to begin the Recovery Rapids journey. 

Can I play it seated? 

Recovery Rapids can be played seated or standing. Many participants in our clinical trials were wheelchair users. If balance or falls are a concern and a support person is unavailable to assist, we recommend playing from a seated position.

What is the science behind Recovery Rapids? 

Recovery Rapids is designed to mimic Constraint Induced Movement therapy (CI therapy). Clinical trials have shown that CI therapy can produce sustainable improvements in movement regardless of a person’s age or how long ago the injury occurred.  CI therapy works well because 1) it intensively trains the weaker arm and 2) it changes the habit of not using the weaker arm for daily activities. A multi-site clinical trial is ongoing to directly compare the effectiveness of Recovery Rapids to CI therapy. 

How much play time do you recommend? 

We are still doing the research to determine what dose is optimal, but we encourage users to initially play 30 minutes to 1 hour per day for the first 3 weeks at the discretion of a therapist or physician.  

What motivated the creation of Recovery Rapids?

Unfortunately, very few clinics can offer the most effective treatments to stroke survivors. For example, CI therapy is only offered in a few specialty clinics despite extensive evidence of its effectiveness. We wanted to make the intensive motor training of CI therapy available through a fun game that can be played in the clinic or in the home.  Recovery Rapids promotes about 1,200 movements per hour on average.

What activities do you recommend in addition to playing the game? 

Breaking the habit of not using a weaker arm requires more than just game play. Recovery Rapids was created to strengthen the arm and improve speed and coordination. However, the weaker arm must also be used for daily tasks in order to truly improve. Our Motor Activity Log app enables users to monitor how much they use the weaker arm for daily activities.

Who created Recovery Rapids?  

Recovery Rapids was created by a team of physical therapists, a neuroscientist, a biomechanist, computer scientists, game designers, and stroke survivors at The Ohio State University. 

Is supervision from a therapist needed? 

We think that users will have the best results when they play Recovery Rapids at home between consultation visits with a therapist. However, the game is easy to set up, so home users can operate it independently. Recovery Rapids should only be used by those for whom light to moderate cardiovascular exercise is medically safe.

Will it help my memory?

Not likely.

Will it help my walking?

Recovery Rapids works the trunk muscles that help with balance and stability. This may improve walking ability for certain users, but Recovery Rapids hasn't yet been tested in clinical research for its ability to improve walking. 

Can I use it to stay fit? 

Recovery Rapids delivers light to moderate cardiovascular exercise. Users can play with small weights to increase the challenge. Pilot research at The Ohio State University has shown that playing Recovery Rapids increases heart rate to within the target heart rate range for cardiovascular training.  

Disclaimer: 

The Recovery Rapids game is currently in development for premarket review by Food and Drug Administration as a rehabilitation device for hemiparesis.  Statements pertaining the use Recovery Rapids have not been evaluated by the FDA.  Information on this website should not be construed as medical or rehabilitative advice and the game has not yet been approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  Use of the game for any use other than entertainment or exercise has not been cleared by the FDA.