1. How do I get in contact with the participating sites?

We are recruiting participants across 5 sites in Canada, which include:

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network, Toronto, ON

• • Contact: Olga Yaroslavtseva – Olga.Yaroslavtseva@uhn.ca or
    (416) 597-3422 ext. 7858
  • Site Lead: Dr. Mark Bayley, MD

GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver, BC & Kelowna General Hospital, Kelowna, BC

• • Contact: Tzu-Hsuan Peng – trail.study@ubc.ca  – 604-714-4117 or Jennifer Monaghan –
    250-317-5645 – j.monaghan@ubc.ca
  • Site Leads: Dr. Brodie Sakakibara, PhD & Dr. Courtney Pollock, PT PhD

Riverview Health Centre, Winnipeg, MB

• • Contact: Sepideh Pooyania – spooyania@rhc.mb.ca – 204-478-6219 or                              Becky Schorr- rebecca.schorr@umanitoba.ca or (204) 787-8015 (please leave a message).
  • Site Leads: Dr. Sepideh Pooyania, MD & Dr. Ruth Barclay, PT PhD

Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS

• • Contact: Melanie Dunlop – melanie.dunlop@nshealth.ca – 902-473-1401
  • Site Lead: Dr. Marilyn Mackay-Lyons, PT PhD

Parkwood Institute, London, ON

• • Contact: Arden Lawson – arden.lawson@sjhc.london.on.ca
  • Site Lead: Dr. Robert Teasell, MD

Feel free to contact the study coordinator, Elise Wiley, at wileye@mcmaster.ca if you live in any of these areas and are interested in taking part in the study.

2. Where will the assessment sessions take place?                              

All assessments will take place virtually. The research coordinator will be in contact with you prior to the assessments, and will provide you with the relevant Zoom or Microsoft Teams link.

3. How do you decide if I’ll be in the TRAIL or EDUCATION group?

After your baseline evaluation, you will be assigned to one of 2 programs: the TRAIL program or EDUCATION program. Your allocation to either the TRAIL or EDUCATION program will be determined by chance, after the completion of your second baseline session. You will have a 50-50 chance (like the flip of a coin), of being assigned to either program, but not both. Both programs are 4 weeks long and led by a trained health professional.

4. After my baseline assessments, will I jump right into my TRAIL or EDUCATION program?

A few days after the virtual assessments, the site coordinator will organize a meeting between you and your therapist or education facilitator. This session is called the virtual intake session, and takes 30 minutes to complete. This session will provide you with the opportunity to meet your therapist or education facilitator. They will assist with technology set-up (e.g laptop camera angles), as well as review the equipment and space requirements (e.g. must have sturdy chair with armrests; if the room is carpeted, must be low-pile, etc.). During this session, you will be given the schedule (days/times) of your telerehabilitation program.

5. What’s in it for me?

You may experience improve their lower extremity function and the amount they use their lower limbs. You may also experience improved health status and balance confidence  As well, the information that we gather will increase our understanding of the feasibility and effects of using telerehabilitation for lower extremity recovery after stroke. You will also receive an honorarium in the form of $25.00 per assessment timepoint (baseline, 1-,3- 6- months follow-up; $100 total) to compensate you for your time.

6. Does it matter when I had a stroke?                                                        

For this study, we are recruiting individuals who had a stroke within the past 12 months.

7. What happens if I begin participation, but then decide to withdraw from the study?

Your participation in this study is entirely voluntary. You may withdraw from this study at any time without giving reasons.

8. What are the possible harms and side effects of participating?                         

There is a chance that you may feel tired or experience muscle soreness from the measurement session or after completing their telerehabilitation exercises. The soreness should subside with rest. You will be informed to stop any movement that causes great discomfort. You may feel slightly fatigued after completing their exercises, but you should not feel deeply tired or remain fatigued the next day. All sessions will be supervised by a registered physical therapist to ensure your safety, and activities can be modified according to your condition to reduce the risk of falls and injury.

There is a small risk that you might fall during the virtual evaluation sessions. All evaluation sessions will be conducted by a trained physical therapist who will monitor participant movements carefully and may choose to leave out any assessments that are not deemed to be safe. We also require that participants have another person present during the virtual evaluation sessions who is able to provide safety supervision and physical assistance if needed.

Occasionally, answering questions about feelings and experiences may make participants feel uncomfortable. Subjects are not required to answer all of the questions, and may skip any that make them feel uncomfortable.