Video-capture virtual reality system for patients with paraplegic spinal cord injury

The aim of this study was to develop new strategies based on virtual reality that can provide additional information to clinicians for the rehabilitation assessment. Virtual reality system Toyra has been used to record kinematic information of 15 patients with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) while performing evaluation sessions using the mentioned system. Positive correlation, with a moderate and very strong association, has been found between clinical scales and kinematic data, considering only the subscales more closely related to the upper limb function. A set of metrics was defined combining these kinematic data to obtain parameters of reaching amplitude, joint amplitude, agility, accuracy, and repeatability during the evaluation sessions of the virtual reality system Toyra. Strong and moderate correlations have been also found between the metrics reaching and joint amplitude and the clinical scales.

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Virtual reality for spinal cord injury-associated neuropathic pain: Systematic review

Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.rehab.2018.09.006 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 49-57 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

B. Chi ◽

B. Chau ◽

E. Yeo ◽

P. Ta

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Cord Injury

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Virtual Reality In Paraplegia: A Test Bed Applicationn

International Journal of Virtual Reality ◽

10.20870/ijvr.2001.5.1.2676 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 146-156

Author(s):

Giuseppe Riva

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Nervous System ◽

Design Issues ◽

Test Bed ◽

Design Considerations ◽

Cord Injury ◽

Preliminary Study

The paper presents an overview of the ergonomic/design issues of a VR-enhanced orthopaedic appliance to be used in rehabilitation of patients with Spinal Cord Injury. First, some design considerations are described and an outline of aims which the tool should pursue are given. Finally, the design issues are described focusing both on the development of a test-bed rehabilitation device and on the description of a preliminary study detailing the use of the device with a long-term SCI patient. The basis for this approach is that physical therapy and motivation are crucial for maintaining flexibility and muscle strength and for reorganizing the nervous system after SCIs.

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Role of Virtual Reality in Balance Training in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury: A Prospective Comparative Pre-Post Study

Asian Spine Journal ◽

10.31616/asj.2019.0013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 51-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Madhusree Sengupta ◽

Anupam Gupta ◽

Meeka Khanna ◽

U. K. Rashmi Krishnan ◽

Dhritiman Chakrabarti

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Balance Training ◽

Cord Injury

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The effects of FES cycling combined with virtual reality racing biofeedback on voluntary function after incomplete SCI: a pilot study

Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s12984-019-0619-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lynsey D. Duffell ◽

Sue Paddison ◽

Ahmad F. Alahmary ◽

Nick Donaldson ◽

Jane Burridge

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injury ◽

Virtual Reality ◽

Electrical Stimulation ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Training Programme ◽

International Standards ◽

Motor Score ◽

Cord Injury

Abstract Background Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) cycling can benefit health and may lead to neuroplastic changes following incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Our theory is that greater neurological recovery occurs when electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves is combined with voluntary effort. In this pilot study, we investigated the effects of a one-month training programme using a novel device, the iCycle, in which voluntary effort is encouraged by virtual reality biofeedback during FES cycling. Methods Eleven participants (C1-T12) with incomplete SCI (5 sub-acute; 6 chronic) were recruited and completed 12-sessions of iCycle training. Function was assessed before and after training using the bilateral International Standards for Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNC-SCI) motor score, Oxford power grading, Modified Ashworth Score, Spinal Cord Independence Measure, the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury and 10 m-walk test. Power output (PO) was measured during all training sessions. Results Two of the 6 participants with chronic injuries, and 4 of the 5 participants with sub-acute injuries, showed improvements in ISNC-SCI motor score > 8 points. Median (IQR) improvements were 3.5 (6.8) points for participants with a chronic SCI, and 8.0 (6.0) points for those with sub-acute SCI. Improvements were unrelated to other measured variables (age, time since injury, baseline ISNC-SCI motor score, baseline voluntary PO, time spent training and stimulation amplitude; p > 0.05 for all variables). Five out of 11 participants showed moderate improvements in voluntary cycling PO, which did not correlate with changes in ISNC-SCI motor score. Improvement in PO during cycling was positively correlated with baseline voluntary PO (R2 = 0.50; p < 0.05), but was unrelated to all other variables (p > 0.05). The iCycle was not suitable for participants who were too weak to generate a detectable voluntary torque or whose effort resulted in a negative torque. Conclusions Improved ISNC-SCI motor scores in chronic participants may be attributable to the iCycle training. In sub-acute participants, early spontaneous recovery and changes due to iCycle training could not be distinguished. The iCycle is an innovative progression from existing FES cycling systems, and positive results should be verified in an adequately powered controlled trial. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03834324. Registered 06 February 2019 - Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03834324. Protocol V03, dated 06.08.2015.

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