Virtual reality as technology for rehabilitation: a case study

Abstract

The activities developed in conventional physical therapies are sometimes repetitive and produce a lack of stimulation on the part of the participant. The use of virtual environments can represent, in this reality, a powerful therapeutic tool that provides motivation and makes the sessions more enjoyable. Virtual reality is a technological resource that allows the individual to use their senses and natural body movements during participation in virtual games, thus promoting their interaction with a virtual environment. The purpose of this work was to verify the opinion of an individual with traumatic brain injury on a program with virtual reality games. A XBox Kinect® console was utilized for this intervention, and the selected games required the use of many physical abilities, including balance. The intervention lasted thirty-two days, and twenty-one attendances were performed in this period, with an average therapy time of approximately 25 minutes / attendance. A semi-structured interview with the participant was performed, with a pre-script approved by the evaluators. The qualitative analysis of the interview contents revealed pleasure and joy by performing the activities. According to the results observed in the case study, it was concluded that virtual reality, as a therapeutic means, represents a motivating activity that enables the improvement of the participant's body balance.