Abstracts 2014: Virtual reality-based telerehabilitation programme for balance recovery. A pilot study in hemiparetic individuals with acquired brain injury

Abstract

[EN] The increasing number of studies reporting the use of specific virtual reality (VR) applications for the rehabilitation of motor impairments after acquired brain injury (ABI) together with the progressive decrease of the costs, are facilitating the introduction of new tools not only in the clinical setting but also in the home setting. A VR-based system for balance rehabilitation was integrated in the physical therapy program of our neurorehabilitation unit 5 years ago. Patients were being included in the program according to their particular condition and expected clinical benefits. Previous results showed that the system is effective for the recovery of balance in hemiparetic individuals with ABI. The off-the-shelf Kinect™ meant a technological breakthrough that allowed some individuals to interact with custom made VR applications without wearable devices and with affordable costs. The objective of this study is to analyze the clinical effectiveness of a telerehabilitation program using this VR system in the home setting of individuals with chronic ABI.