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Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 797

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Physical Therapy, Korea National University of Transportation, Jeungpyeong, Republic of Korea
Interests: virtual reality; physical therapy; augmented reality; exercise; electromyography; gait analysis; posture; biomechanics; healthcare
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, entitled "Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy", which will focus on innovative applications of virtual reality (VR) technologies in rehabilitation settings.

In recent years, VR has emerged as a promising tool in physical therapy through enhancing patient engagement, motivation, and adherence to therapeutic exercises. With the widespread availability of affordable and high-performance VR systems, clinicians and researchers are now exploring immersive and interactive rehabilitation methods that could complement or even surpass traditional therapy in certain contexts.

This Special Issue aims to present cutting-edge research and practical applications of VR in physical therapy across different populations and conditions. The journal Life offers an interdisciplinary platform, and this topic aligns with its focus on advances in life sciences, healthcare technologies, and therapeutic interventions.

Original research articles and reviews are welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

- Virtual reality;
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation;
- Pediatric rehabilitation;
- Geriatric and neurological rehabilitation;
- Wearable robotics and soft robotics;
- Human–computer interaction;
- Serious games for therapy;
- Immersive experience in healthcare;
- Technology-enhanced patient engagement;
- Telerehabilitation using VR.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Seong-Gil Kim
Guest Editor

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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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

  • virtual reality
  • physical therapy
  • rehabilitation
  • serious games
  • immersive therapy
  • human–computer interaction
  • wearable robotics
  • soft robotics
  • telerehabilitation
  • engagement

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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17 pages, 1341 KB  
Systematic Review
Advances in Virtual Reality-Based Physical Rehabilitation for Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Systematic Review
by Lucía Solares, Tania Llana, Sara García-Navarra and Marta Mendez
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(18), 9903; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15189903 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 475
Abstract
Background: Neurodegenerative diseases cause both progressive motor and cognitive impairments for which no curative treatments exist. Virtual reality (VR)-based rehabilitation has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance physical rehabilitation by offering immersive, engaging, and personalized environments. Methods: A systematic review was conducted [...] Read more.
Background: Neurodegenerative diseases cause both progressive motor and cognitive impairments for which no curative treatments exist. Virtual reality (VR)-based rehabilitation has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance physical rehabilitation by offering immersive, engaging, and personalized environments. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, examining studies published between 2020 and 2025 in the Web of Science and Scopus. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, focusing on VR-based physical rehabilitation in individuals with neurodegenerative diseases. Results: Most studies reported significant improvements in balance, gait, postural control, and motor function. Some studies also found benefits in processing speed, executive function, emotional well-being, and activities of daily living. Across different levels of immersion, VR interventions showed high usability and were well tolerated, even among older adults. However, methodological limitations, such as small sample sizes, a lack of control groups, and short intervention durations, were prevalent. Conclusions: VR has demonstrated to be an effective and well-tolerated tool for the rehabilitation of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. However, the confirmation of its clinical efficacy and long-term impact necessitates the execution of randomized controlled trials with larger samples and extended follow-up periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality in Physical Therapy)
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