Using virtual reality in clinical practice: A multi-site exploratory study

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Virtual Reality (VR) applications
• Clinical practice research

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging neurorehabilitation tool.
• Limited data exists on clinical VR implementation by therapists.
• Understanding current VR use is crucial for advancing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• Document current practices of GestureTek VR in inpatient acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation.
• Establish a benchmark for clinicians integrating VR.
• Identify research gaps to enhance VR's clinical applicability.

Main Methods:

• Therapists documented client demographics and VR treatment characteristics.
• Data collected over eight months from two rehabilitation centers.
• Study included 29 ABI clients.

Main Results:

• Clinical populations differed from published VR research samples.
• VR treatment characteristics and outcomes aligned with literature.
• Over 50% of VR programs were discontinued due to identified barriers.
• Novel outcome areas were identified as research gaps.

Conclusions:

• Findings bridge the knowledge-to-action gap in VR neurorehabilitation.
• Informs research design for greater clinical relevance.
• Provides a reference point for clinicians using VR in practice.