Abstract
This pilot study is focused on the possibilities of virtual reality as a supplemental therapy for incomplete spinal cord lesions. The research was carried out with 22 participants (15 men and 7 women) from age 27 to 76 years (average age: 55 +- 14 years) who are clients of Rehabilitační ústav (RÚ) Kladruby with incomplete spinal cord lesions.
The participants were randomly divided in to two groups of 11 (test and control). The participants in the test group did, instead of normal therapeutic therapies, 30 therapeutic video using a special virtual reality headset.
The control group used standard rehabilitation plans. For objectivity of the participants, we used the standard ASIA protocol (American Spinal Injury Association) impairment scale for clinical pictures (AIS).
Relative improvement results in AIS after one month by the control group were 28.31% (s. d. 27.84%, variation coefficiency: 0.98). Relative improvement results in AIS after one month by the control group: 10.53% (s. d. 6.59%, variation coefficiency: 0.63).
The test group is three times better than the control, but not so homogenous.