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Virtual Reality for Rehabilitation in Healthcare

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 2076

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Arts, Science and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
Interests: technology for rehabilitation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The world’s population is growing up every year, and the development of technologies for the assessment and treatment of persons with disabilities needs to constantly evolve, providing improvements in autonomy and quality of life. Thus, an important assistive technology intervention that has been growing to provide better physical and/or cognitive functions for people with disabilities is the use of virtual reality. Virtual reality uses interactive simulations created with computer hardware and software to present users with opportunities to perform activities in virtual environments with life-like objects and events. Moreover, with the new metaverse, possibilities for rehabilitation (using virtual reality as a support technology) and the development of technologies for both the assessment and treatment of persons with disabilities have the potential to either adapt to or target underlying sensorimotor dysfunction and improve body structure, activities, and participation. This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of the knowledge on the links between virtual reality and rehabilitation. New research papers, reviews, case reports, and conference papers are welcome to this Special Issue. Papers dealing with new approaches to rehabilitation using the metaverse with immersive or non-immersive virtual reality are also welcome. Other manuscript types accepted include methodological papers, position papers, brief reports, and commentaries.

Prof. Dr. Carlos Bandeira de Mello Monteiro
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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2500 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
  • rehabilitation
  • metaverse for rehabilitation
  • rehabilitation technology
  • exergames
  • active-video gaming
  • virtual reality exposure therapy
  • technology in healthcare
  • augmented reality for rehabilitation
  • mirror world for rehabilitation
  • virtual world for rehabilitation

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 3031 KiB  
Article
Bilateral Transfer of Performance between Real and Non-Immersive Virtual Environments in Post-Stroke Individuals: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Deise M. S. Mota, Íbis A. P. Moraes, Denise C. R. Papa, Deborah C. G. L. Fernani, Caroline S. Almeida, Maria H. S. Tezza, Maria T. A. P. Dantas, Susi M. S. Fernandes, Alessandro H. N. Ré, Talita D. Silva and Carlos B. M. Monteiro
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043301 - 13 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1489
Abstract
(1) Background: Post-stroke presents motor function deficits, and one interesting possibility for practicing skills is the concept of bilateral transfer. Additionally, there is evidence that the use of virtual reality is beneficial in improving upper limb function. We aimed to evaluate the transfer [...] Read more.
(1) Background: Post-stroke presents motor function deficits, and one interesting possibility for practicing skills is the concept of bilateral transfer. Additionally, there is evidence that the use of virtual reality is beneficial in improving upper limb function. We aimed to evaluate the transfer of motor performance of post-stroke and control groups in two different environments (real and virtual), as well as bilateral transfer, by changing the practice between paretic and non-paretic upper limbs. (2) Methods: We used a coincident timing task with a virtual (Kinect) or a real device (touch screen) in post-stroke and control groups; both groups practiced with bilateral transference. (3) Results: Were included 136 participants, 82 post-stroke and 54 controls. The control group presented better performance during most parts of the protocol; however, it was more evident when compared with the post-stroke paretic upper limb. We found bilateral transference mainly in Practice 2, with the paretic upper limb using the real interface method (touch screen), but only after Practice 1 with the virtual interface (Kinect), using the non-paretic upper limb. (4) Conclusions: The task with the greatest motor and cognitive demand (virtual—Kinect) provided transfer into the real interface, and bilateral transfer was observed in individuals post-stroke. However, this is more strongly observed when the virtual task was performed using the non-paretic upper limb first. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality for Rehabilitation in Healthcare)
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