Efficacy assessment of virtual reality therapy for neuromotor rehabilitation in home environment: a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose

Neuromotor impairments can affect any part of the body. It leads to many disorders, injuries, or disabilities, conventional rehabilitation is a long, rigorous, and tedious process. There is a need to inculcate new and innovative techniques in rehabilitation processes, to increase individuals’ interest and overall performance with such therapies. Virtual Reality is considered a new technology that has the potential to be a useful aid in overcoming therapeutic problems in clinical and home-based environments. However, providing home-based rehabilitation is more practicable, cost-effective, and even safer than in-hospital rehabilitation. In addition, the need for home-based rehabilitation is growing as the number of neuromotor disorders rises and the capacity of acute inpatient rehabilitation decreases. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a home-based Virtual Reality exercise treatment to identify the areas for future rehabilitation research.

Materials and methods

Data Extraction of 24,257 articles from seven databases were identified and the review is narrowed down and only 45 studies were focussed on efficacy assessment of Virtual Reality in the home environment.

Results

The significant outcome of the effective home-based therapy system for the exercise improved functional ability, increasing range of motion, and motivation through Virtual reality-based rehabilitation is inferred.

Conclusion

Unlike clinical settings, a home-based system provides efficacious therapy with a controlled environment. This survey facilitates bettering methods and devices for neuromotor disorders. It is a good living long-term problem-solving approach and investigates awareness, needs, and a preferred component of home-based rehabilitation services.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• VR-based rehabilitation in the home environment has many physical and mental benefits in persons with neuromotor disorders.

• The most commonly neuromotor disorders considered in the study were Stroke, Spinal Cord Injury, Parkinson’s disease, and Cerebral Palsy.

• Assistive technologies in home environments can compensate for long-term disorders or be used in rehabilitation as an addition to conventional therapy.

• The study gives an overview of current interventions and how they can be of benefit for a person suffering from neuromotor disorders in the home environment.

Keywords:

• Rehabilitation
• neuromotor disorders
• virtual reality
• therapy
• exercises
• home-based environment

Acknowledgements

This study is reinforced by Prof. S. Anantha Ramakrishna, Director Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Scientific Instruments Organization, Chandigarh, India.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The author reported there is a funding associated with “Virtual Intelligence in Home Based Rehabilitation of Persons with Motor Disability (GAP 0404)” in this article.