Efficacy of Virtual Reality-Based Therapy for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Stroke Patients: A Case Study

Abstract:
Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability, often resulting in significant motor impairments, particularly in the upper limbs. This case study explores the use of Virtual Reality-Based Rehabilitation (VRBR) to improve upper limb motor function, muscle tone, and strength in a 35-year-old male with left hemiparesis following a stroke. Over an 8-week period, the patient participated in VR therapy at Saveetha Physiotherapy OPD, engaging in interactive games such as Beat Saber and Fruit Ninja VR to enhance motor coordination and increase patient engagement. The intervention led to significant improvements in the patient’s motor function, muscle strength, and tone. The immersive and engaging nature of VRBR likely helped boost motivation, which contributed to better rehabilitation outcomes. These results suggest that VRBR is a promising tool for improving motor skills and supporting neuroplasticity in stroke patients with upper limb impairments. The study emphasizes the potential benefits of incorporating VR-based therapies in stroke rehabilitation and calls for further research to evaluate its effectiveness in larger patient populations.
References:
[1]
Dutta,
D., Sen, S., Aruchamy, S., and Mandal, S., 2022. Prevalence of post-stroke
upper extremity paresis in developing countries and significance of m-Health
for rehabilitation after stroke-A review. Smart Health, 23,
p.100264.
[2]
Hedau,
V. N., and Patil, T., 2024. Mounting Stroke Crisis in India: A Systematic
Review. Cureus, 16(3).
[3]
Behera,
D. K., Rahut, D. B., and Mishra, S., 2024. Analyzing stroke burden and risk
factors in India using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study. Scientific
Reports, 14(1), p.22640.
[4]
Ramos-Lima,
M. J. M., Brasileiro, I. D. C., Lima, T. L. D., and Braga-Neto, P., 2018.
Quality of life after stroke: impact of clinical and sociodemographic factors. Clinics,
73, p.e418.
[5]
Ingwersen,
T., Wolf, S., Birke, G., Schlemm, E., Bartling, C., Bender, G., Meyer, A., Nolte,
A., Ottes, K., Pade, O., and Peller, M., 2021. Long-term recovery of upper limb
motor function and self-reported health: results from a multicenter
observational study 1 year after discharge from rehabilitation. Neurological
Research and Practice, 3, pp.1-10.
[6]
Stanescu,
I., Dabala, V., and Vanta, O., Recovery of precise hand movements after stroke.
[7]
Plantin,
J., Godbolt, A. K., Pennati, G. V., Laurencikas, E., Fransson, P., Baron, J. C.,
Maier, M. A., Borg, J., and Lindberg, P. G., 2022. Motor inhibition and its
contribution to recovery of dexterous hand use after stroke. Brain
Communications, 4(5), p.fcac241.
[8]
Zhou,
Z., Li, X., Wu, X., and Wang, X., 2024. Impact of early rehabilitation therapy
on functional outcomes in patients post distal radius fracture surgery: a
systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 25(1),
p.198.
[9]
Sinclair,
M. C., Craven, M. M., and Phillips, D. V., 2024. Virtual-Reality Pain Science
Positively Impacts Pain and Function, Return to Work, Customer Experience and
Return On Investment: A Case Study. Journal of Clinical Exercise Physiology,
13(s2), pp.441-441.
[10]
YILDIZ,
A., 2024. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in Rehabilitation. Complementary
Medicine with New Approaches, p.135.
[11]
Bateni,
H., Carruthers, J., Mohan, R., and Pishva, S., 2024. Use of virtual reality in
physical therapy as an intervention and diagnostic tool. Rehabilitation
research and practice, 2024(1), p.1122286.
[12]
Fluet,
G. G., Gorin, H., Rothpletz Puglia, P., Qiu, Q., Patel, J., Merians, A. S.,
Cronce, A. L., and Adamovich, S.V., 2024. A convergent mixed methods design to
assess the use of the home virtual rehabilitation system by persons with
chronic stroke. Games for Health Journal, 13(4), pp.278-287.
[13]
Roy,
B., Sur, M., Nath, P., Roy, S. D., Singha, P., and Bhattacharjee, K., 2024.
Neuroplasticity and its implications for vestibular rehabilitation: A narrative
review. International Journal of Orthopaedics and Physiotherapy, 6(1),
pp.05-10.
[14]
Pardini, S., Gabrielli,
S., Olivetto, S., Fusina, F., Dianti, M., Forti, S., Lancini, C., and Novara,
C., 2024. Personalized
virtual reality compared with guided imagery for enhancing the impact of
progressive muscle relaxation training: pilot randomized controlled trial. JMIR
Mental Health, 11, p.e48649.
[15]
Ehioghae,
M., Montoya, A., Keshav, R., Vippa, T. K., Manuk-Hakobyan, H., Hasoon, J.,
Kaye, A. D., and Urits, I., 2024. Effectiveness of virtual reality–based
rehabilitation interventions in improving postoperative outcomes for orthopedic
surgery patients. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 28(1),
pp.37-45.
[16]
Paiva, H. W. A., Golçalves, J. G., Rodrígues,
D. Z., and Rosa, R. L., 2024. A Comprehensive Analysis of Virtual Reality
Applications in Healthcare. INFOCOMP Journal of Computer Science, 23(1).
[17]
Fugl-Meyer, A. R., Jääskö, L., Leyman, I., Olsson, S., and Steglind, S.,
1975. A method for evaluation of physical performance. Scand J Rehabil Med,
7(1), pp.13-31.
[18]
Amin, F., Waris, A., Iqbal, J., Gilani, S.O., Rehman, M. Z. U., et.al.,
2024. Maximizing stroke recovery with advanced technologies: A comprehensive
assessment of robot-assisted, EMG-Controlled robotics, virtual reality, and
mirror therapy interventions. Results in Engineering, 21,
p.101725.
[19]
Vishnuram,
S., Suganthirababu, P., Ramalingam, V., Srinivasan, V., Alagesan, J., 2024, Effect
of Peripheral Nerve Mobilization and VR-Based Gait Training on Gait Parameters
Among Patients with Chronic ACA Stroke–A Pilot Study. Physical &
Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics. 2024 Mar 21:1-1.
[20]
Ramakrishnan,
V., Subramanian, S. S., Selvarj, K., Jerome, A., Ramanathan, K., Alhalaiqa, F.,
Alyahyawi, H. Y., Alfawaz, S. S., Gaowgzeh R. A., Effectiveness of shoulder
kinesio taping and conventional exercises on FuglMeyer assessment scale and
Rivermead mobility scale in subacute hemiplegic subjects with shoulder
subluxation: A single group prepost design.
[21]
Nath, D., Singh, N., Saini, M., Banduni, O., Kumar, N., Srivastava, M.P.,
and Mehndiratta, A., 2024. Clinical potential and neuroplastic effect of
targeted virtual reality based intervention for distal upper limb in
post-stroke rehabilitation: a pilot observational study. Disability and
Rehabilitation, 46(12), pp.2640-2649.
[22]
Zhang, J., Yang, J., Xu, Q., Xiao, Y., Zuo, L., and Cai, E., 2024.
Effectiveness of virtual reality-based rehabilitation on the upper extremity
motor function of stroke patients: A protocol for systematic review and
meta-analysis. PloS one, 19(11), p.e0313296.
[23]
Okamura, R., Nakashima, A., Moriuchi, T., Fujiwara, K., Ohno, K.,
Higashi, T., and Tomori, K., 2024. Effects of a virtual reality-based mirror
therapy system on upper extremity rehabilitation after stroke: a systematic
review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers in
Neurology, 14, p.1298291.
[24]
Rambabu GV, Manasa K, Kavya RV, Santhi GB. Virtual
Reality Applications in Healthcare Rehabilitation Therapy and Medical Training
Innovations. InITM Web of Conferences 2025 (Vol. 76, p. 04001). EDPSciences.