The 'Kinect Effect' adds successes in the rehabilitation of patients with brain injuries and in education

Microsoft's Kinect motion sensor has managed in recent years to go beyond entertainment to be a key element in brain injury patient rehabilitation projects, multiple sclerosis, as well as in the educational environment, with positive VirtualRehab results collected in a study presented at the 8th World Congress of Neurorehabilitation.

The study, developed by the Basque Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Eugenia Epalza and the Department of Neurology of the University of Navarra, demonstrates the validity and effectiveness of using VirtualRehab for an ongoing period of time combined with traditional therapy in patients with multiple sclerosis. The results show a remarkable improvement in various functions, especially in static and dynamic balance, fatigue level and degree of functional independence.

Thanks to VirtualRehab, that uses the motion sensor Microsoft Kinect, the physical therapist can plan sessions that allow him to work on each patient's different affected functions through nine video games, not only for patients with multiple sclerosis but with other neurodegenerative diseases, neuromuscular and cerebrovascular, like Parkinson's, brain damage, Alzheimer, dystrophy and even seniors.

To date, VirtualRehab has more than 5.200 gaming sessions, with more than five hundred hours of therapeutic play performed with patients, and has recently been endorsed by the Spanish Society of Neurology (Sen).

specifically, this prospective study was conducted with twenty multiple sclerosis patients twice a week for four months. one 13% experienced an improvement in their Functional Independence Scale (FIM); the 40% positively favored its balance on the Berg scale; one 20% achieved an improvement on the Tinetti scale, balance and gait assessment, and a 47% decreased his fatigue level.

On the other hand, this study has allowed for other interesting facts, with improvements in his condition and depression (27 and 13% patients, respectively) according to the HAD scale that values these parameters. With regard to the game itself, the 100% patients improved the time to finish the games, one 86% increased his own score and a 85% managed to increase his percentage of hits on the targets.

After analyzing all this data, the study concludes that VirtualRehab is an effective tool for MS patients combined with traditional rehabilitation, and its results are presented these days at the 8th World Congress of Neurorehabilitation, of the 8 to the 12 April in Istanbul (Turkey), bringing together rehabilitation specialists from around the world and revolves around clinical practices, international studies, innovation and the main areas of neurorehabilitation.

currently, VirtualRehab has nine games that allow you to rehabilitate different motor functions through personalized physical rehabilitation programs, exercises aimed at rehabilitating balance problems and lack of coordination, movement and posture disorders and motor deficits, among others. The system only requires a Kinect for Windows, and uses motion capture technology to make the user the main player in rehabilitation, without the need for any controller. Each session is recorded in a database, so that the physical therapist has access to the information and follow-up of each patient.

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