Study: Virtual Reality May Aid Mobility, Brain Function
From: Rehab Management - 10/2005 - page 10

The results of a recent small study indicate that the use of virtual reality
games as part of a rehabilitation therapy program may help stroke patients
improve their ability to walk and reorganize brain function.  

The study, which was published in the June issue of the journal Stroke, was
conducted about 2 years ago, and included 10 subjects, who on average were
one and a half years post-stroke, and all of whom had weakness on one side of
their body. The subjects were randomly placed into a control group or a
virtual reality group, with five patients per group. The control group
received no intervention, while the virtual reality group received training
with the games - including going up and down stairs, swimming with sharks,
and snowboarding - for 1 hour, 5 days per week, for 4 weeks.  

"When we compared the two groups, we found that walking ability was
significantly improved [in the virtual reality therapy group]. This change
was also associated with positive brain reorganization," says lead author
Sung H. You, PT, PhD, assistant professor of physical therapy at Hampton
University, Hampton, VA.  

Brain imaging done before and after the experiment indicated a reorganization
of brain function after therapy.  

The virtual reality games are not meant to replace other therapies, but
instead provide another tool in the rehabilitation arsenal, and a means to
keep patients engaged in their therapy. "You can't replace physical therapy
with this system. It's an augmentative tool," You says. "I think this will be
an enjoyable and motivating tool. A lot of times physical therapy can be
rudimentary. For someone who loves to go snowboarding, riding, or scuba
diving, they don't have to jeopardize their life with these games. They don't
have to climb a mountain; with the virtual reality games, we can simulate a
mountain or being under water. They can have fun, but be safe at the same
time." 

You says that the researchers hope to conduct more studies with larger sample
sizes to discover the long-term effects.  

Read this article on the Internet at:
http://www.rehabpub.com/departments/102005/2.asp

Links:
Stroke survivors play virtual reality games, win increased mobility
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030766

Virtual Reality Games Help Stroke Survivors
http://www.heartinfo.org/ms/news/525691/main.html

Virtual reality games help stroke victims
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7832242/

Virtual reality could promote motor recovery in stroke patients
http://www.strokeforum.com/news/news_050513.htm

Video Games May Help Stroke Victims
http://www.realhealthynews.com/2005/05/video-games-may-help-stroke-victims/
http://www.livescience.com/technology/ap_050512_stroke_games.html
http://lcg.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/5/13/856658.html

Video Games May Help Stroke Patients
http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2005/05/video_games_may.html

Virtual Reality May Help Troubled Vets
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46843

Virtual reality games may help stroke survivors regain function, study says
http://www.newstarget.com/007792.html

Virtual-Reality Induced Cortical Reorganization in a Child with Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy
http://www.nrhhealthtown.com/healthtown/Telemed/you_hb.asx