Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality as an Adjunct to Conventional Rehabilitation for Post-Stroke Motor, Cognitive and Psychosocial Recovery
Abstract
Background: Stroke is a major cause of long-term adult disability, and rehabilitation services are under pressure to deliver repetitive, meaningful, and measurable therapy within limited clinical time. Virtual reality (VR) may increase practice intensity, feedback, motivation and task specificity, but the clinical value of VR depends on whether it improves outcomes beyond ordinary therapy rather than merely making therapy appear modern.
Objective: This research paper evaluates the effectiveness of immersive VR added to usual rehabilitation for post-stroke patients, focusing on upper limb motor function, cognition, activity limitation, engagement, mood and safety.
Methods: A comparative, assessor-blinded, eight-week rehabilitation study design is presented using two parallel groups: VR plus usual care and usual rehabilitation alone. Adults in the subacute or early chronic stage after stroke received matched contact time, with outcomes measured at baseline, eight weeks and three months. Primary outcome was Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity score. Secondary outcomes included Wolf Motor Function Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Stroke Impact Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, motivation visual analogue score, adherence and adverse events.
Results: The modelled findings show greater improvement in the VR group for upper limb motor recovery, cognitive screening, activity participation and motivation. The VR group improved by 12.6 points on Fugl-Meyer at eight weeks compared with 6.8 points in usual rehabilitation, and retained a larger mean gain at three months. Adherence was higher in VR sessions, while adverse events were minor and transient.
Conclusion: Immersive VR should be treated as a structured adjunct to evidence-based rehabilitation, not as a replacement for therapist-led care. Its strongest value lies in increasing meaningful practice dose, feedback and engagement when embedded within clinical reasoning, safety screening and individualized goal setting.
How to Cite
Nusarath Jaha Gurramkonda, Suresh Jat, "Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality as an Adjunct to Conventional Rehabilitation for Post-Stroke Motor, Cognitive and Psychosocial Recovery", Vol. 3, Issue 3, 26-06-2025, pp. 93-113.
