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The Use of Virtual Reality (VR) in Medical Rehabilitation: Assessment Tools, Application Methods, VR Technology and Clinical Applications

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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Biomedical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2024 | Viewed by 1961

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Dear Colleagues,

VR technology has been used in medicine since the 1990s. One of its applications involves the creation of a virtual, interactive environment using assistive health technology, which is used for rehabiliation, e.g., to restore sensory and motor skills lost due to trauma or illness (stroke and brain trauma, spinal cord injury, paralysis of limbs, amputations of the upper or lower limb, stroke, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy, neurodegenerative and demyelinating diseases, neuromuscular diseases, vestibular impairments, etc.).

This Special Issue will describe the most recent research and developments in the field of Medical Rehabilitation using VR technologies. This complex interdisciplinary field is located at the interface of physical medicine and rehabilitation, physical therapy, biomechanics, kinesiology, bioengineering, neurology and movement disorders, traumatology, etc. Specialists focusing on Medical Rehabilitation through VR aim to create the optimal conditions for the functional rehabilitation of distressed and/or disabled patients. Potential topics may include (but are not limited to) assessment tools, application methods, VR technology and clinical applications.

Dr. Roxana Miclaus
Dr. Elena Amaricai
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

postural/balance assessment and training
proprioceptive rehabilitation
gait analysis and training
virtual reality
assistive technologies
exoskeletons
telerehabilitation
environmental interventions
ergonomics

Published Papers (2 papers)

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14 pages, 454 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immersive Virtual Reality Application for Rehabilitation in Unilateral Spatial Neglect: A Promising New Frontier in Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

by Katarzyna Matys-Popielska, Krzysztof Popielski, Paulina Matys and Anna Sibilska-Mroziewicz

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14010425 - 3 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1282

Abstract

Stroke is a leading cause of disability among adults in Europe. Complications following stroke include limb paresis and unilateral spatial neglect (USN) syndrome. These complications significantly reduce the patient’s ability to function normally both in the short and long term. The chance to regain function is rehabilitation. One of the techniques in USN’s rehabilitation is repetitive visual scanning training, and the effects of rehabilitation can be enhanced by limb activation, such as moving objects from one side to the other. However, rehabilitation carried out in this way is monotonous, and the assistance of a physiotherapist is necessary. This paper proposes an alternative method of rehabilitation, using virtual reality. The created application contains the most important element that occurs during rehabilitation, which is a movement pattern. At the same time, it diversifies the rehabilitation process and allows rehabilitation without constant contact with a physiotherapist. This paper presents the most important strategies to minimize the occurrence of cybersickness, which were applied in the developed application. The created application was approved by a physician and tested with the participation of five post-stroke patients. The first results were positive. Increased motivation was observed among patients using VR in therapy. Patients noticed an improvement in motor function, as well as a reduction in reaction times. In addition, physiotherapists observed an improvement in the range of motion during virtual reality therapy compared to traditional therapy. This gives hope that the app can be used in clinical practice. However, in order for the app to be incorporated into clinical practice, it is necessary to conduct studies with a larger group of patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Virtual Reality (VR) in Medical Rehabilitation: Assessment Tools, Application Methods, VR Technology and Clinical Applications)

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Review

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16 pages, 727 KiB

Open AccessReview

Virtual Reality Applications for Balance Rehabilitation and Efficacy in Addressing Other Symptoms in Multiple Sclerosis—A Review

by Elena Bianca Basalic, Nadinne Roman, Vlad Ionut Tuchel and Roxana Steliana Miclăuș

Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 4244; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14104244 - 16 May 2024

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Abstract

(1) Background: Since multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological pathology known for its disabling effects across many domains, the introduction of virtual reality (VR) usage has been attempted, as it represents a new method of approach to rehabilitation and treatment of chronic neurological pathologies. Encouraging research has explored the use of video game consoles and VR-assisted Robot-Assisted Gait Training (RAGT) to address balance disturbances in this population. (2) Methods: The search involved two databases, Web of Science and PubMed, utilizing a selection of terms including “Virtual reality”, “Multiple sclerosis”, “Balance”, and “Rehabilitation”. Two reviewers initiated and performed the search for articles, subsequently selecting and extracting data from the studies. The PEDro scale was the tool for evaluating the quality of the articles that we introduced in our research. (3) Results: After rigorous scanning, nine articles remained eligible for our study. VR interventions, particularly compared to standard balance training, consistently improved balance in multiple sclerosis. Robotic-assisted technology with 2D VR yielded superior results in balance rehabilitation. VR interventions had varied effects on walking speed. They have shown promise in decreasing the risk of falls and improving patients’ daily lives while reducing fatigue in multiple sclerosis. (4) Conclusions: VR offers comparable or superior benefits to classical exercise and no intervention for balance but does not significantly improve functional mobility. However, it shows the potential to improve quality of life and fatigue in MS patients. Investigation of VR alongside RAGT is important to be performed with larger sample sizes and comprehensive results are needed to fully understand its efficacy in MS rehabilitation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Use of Virtual Reality (VR) in Medical Rehabilitation: Assessment Tools, Application Methods, VR Technology and Clinical Applications)

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