VIRTUAL REALITY: MEERWAARDE BINNEN DE FYSIOTHERAPIE?
WCF-Project: meerwaarde VR

To stimulate restoration of arm function after stroke, intensive and task-specific training is essential. To implement this, the application of virtual reality (VR) in rehabilitation is promising. Integration of stimuli and feedback in a rehabilitation game, taking principles of motor relearning into account, allows high motivation for patients during training. Additionally, VR can automate and intensify treatment, since patients can practice more independently, without the need for one-to-one supervision. This is an important issue in coming years with respect to the ageing of the population, leading to increased demand, but decreased availability of physical and occupational therapists.

Previous research of this group showed that arm training using a specifically developed game for rehabilitation (FurballHunt), combined with arm support, can improve reaching. However, this pilot study did not discern between the effect of arm support and the added value of training with a rehabilitation game. When training using a rehabilitation game proves (at least) as effective as conventional therapy, this already is promising for applying VR in rehabilitation, regarding independency during training.

The objective of this project is to obtain first insight into the effect of a stimulus rich context, specifically developed for rehabilitation (rehab game), with a less rich context (conventional exercises) during reach training for restoration of arm function in chronic stroke patients.

The project runs within the research cluster Restoration of Human Function and is led by Dr. AIR Kottink-Hutten and Dr. GB Prange.

This project is funded by:

Wetenschappelijk College Fysiotherapie	Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Fysiotherapie

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