Conventional rehabilitation is repetitive in nature and ends the patient’s motivation. Also, it requires a therapist to work with the patient continuously throughout it. It also needs resources and hence increases the cost of the healthcare system.
Virtual reality-based rehabilitation has emerged as a major addition to conventional therapy. It is engaging, and motivating, and adds a positive learning experience.
The virtual rehabilitation industry has garnered $325.6 million revenue in 2021, and it is projected to rise at a rate of 24.3% from 2021 to 2030, to generate $2,312.3 million revenue in 2030.
The virtual-based therapy reduces the required tasks relying on the patient’s requirement, with video-game, or imitation-like activities. Virtual reality provides endless possibilities. The customization of virtual environments involves designing tasks considering the physical and cognitive impairments of an individual.
If virtual therapy is given to a patient from distance, it is known as telerehabilitation. Stimulation exercises used in the treatment of post-stroke patients involve a video game approach or teacher object approach. In this kind of treatment, the stimulation requires virtual replicas of rehabilitation devices. Usually, patients with cognitive deficits are prescribed phobia-inducing virtual environments.
VR-augmented rehabilitation has given better results for patients in the chronic phase of the disease and experiencing a stroke. Such kind of treatment also helps patients who have fear of flying, fear of heights, Vietnam syndrome, and chronic stroke patients.
The telerehabilitation interventions based on virtual reality have benefitted post-stroke patients and Musculoskeletal patients. Virtual reality shows major advantages when implemented in the treatment of patients with varying conditions.
The major benefits of virtual rehabilitation include adaptability, patient motivation, patient baseline variability, online remote data access, transparent data storage, remote data access, scale economy, and reduced medical costs.
The major benefits of virtual-based rehabilitation include:
• It offers more advanced digital rehabilitation methods compared to conventional therapy and maximizes the rehabilitation measures effect.
• It helps patients with varying neurological disorders to perform actions, that they cannot perform in real life.
• It offers individualized treatment plans with careful assessment and follows case-by-case treatment goals.
The major players operating in the industry are, CoRehab srl, MIRA Rehab Limited, Gesture Tek Inc., Neuro Rehab VR, Virtual Group, Bridgeway Senior Healthcare, SWORD Health Inc., Hinge Health Inc., and Modek Medical B.V.
Therefore, the numerous advantages of virtual rehabilitation over conventional methods lead to its increased preference.
