Stroke patients affected by hemiparesis used the arm in a virtual environment, increasing both muscle response and confidence in using the arm. Photo: Belén Rubio Ballester/Universitat Pompeu Fabra
BARCELONA, Spain, June 9 (UPI) -- Virtual reality systems may help stroke patients regain use in arms affected by hemiparesis -- reduced muscle strength on one side of the body -- by increasing confidence in their ability to use the limb.
For stroke patients who experience hemiparesis, the reduced motor function in one of their arms causes them to develop a 'learned non-use' which can lead to further loss of function that is related more to whether or not they use it rather than a physiological problem.
Participants in the study were asked to reach for items in a virtual environment with their affected arm. In some cases, researchers made the virtual representation of their arm move faster than it was in reality to increase confidence in moving. Following the virtual reality exercises, researchers noted that participants used their affected arm more, and believe this came from the confidence of seeing it work properly in the virtual environment.
"There is a need for designing new rehabilitation strategies that promote the use of the affected limb in performing daily activities," said Belén Rubio of the Laboratory of Synthetic, Perceptive, Emotive and Cognitive Systems at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, in a press release. "Often we neglect the remarkable contribution of the patient's emotional and psychological states to recovery, and this includes their confidence."
The study used the Rehabilitation Gaming System, or RGS, with 20 participants chosen for the study based on being stroke patients who experienced hemiparesis who did not have motor issues with their arms before having a stroke. RGS is a 10-year-old system developed at the university to help rehabilitate patients who have upper body motor issues.
The first time the participants used the virtual environment, their affected arms were shown to have more movement than in reality. Researchers said that after these sessions, in some cases for only 10 minutes, the participants showed more spontaneous use of that arm and, when reconnected to the virtual environment, showed improved use of the arm even without their movements being enhanced on screen.
"This therapy could create a virtuous circle of recovery, in which positive feedback, spontaneous arm use and motor performance can reinforce each other," Rubio said. "Engaging patients in this ongoing cycle of spontaneous arm use, training and learning could produce a remarkable impact on their recovery process."
The study is published in Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation.
