Examining the Relationship Between Therapy Intensity and Patient Response in Virtual Reality Rehabilitation

This follow-up data analysis of 19 patients in the early stage following ischemic stroke (conducted from January to December 2024) at the Department of Neurology, Ostrava University Hospital, focused on a key question in neurorehabilitation: What is the optimal dose of virtual reality exercise, and does a higher number of training units directly translate into higher patient satisfaction?

Key Analytical Findings:

High Satisfaction Even with Fewer Sessions: Patients completed an average of 4.2 sessions (ranging from 1 to 13). Although the majority of patients (58%) completed only 1 or 2 sessions due to early discharge from hospitalization, overall satisfaction remained at an exceptional level (averaging 25 out of 30 points).

No Direct Dependence on Session Count: Statistical analysis indicated that patient satisfaction does not strictly depend on the number of repetitions. Virtual reality manages to engage patients and foster a positive attitude toward rehabilitation starting from the very first sessions.

Correlation with Length of Stay: The number of completed VR sessions was primarily tied to the overall length of the patient's hospital stay, rather than patient fatigue or technology refusal.

Recommendations for Future Research: The study defines methodological requirements for future large-scale trials (recommending a sample size of $n \ge 85$ patients) to help establish the ideal VR dosage across various impairment types.

Clinical Practice Takeaway

A key insight emerges for practical clinical use: The VR Vitalis® Pro system yields a strong therapeutic and motivational impact right from the initial session. Healthcare providers do not need to wait weeks for results—even brief integration of virtual reality in the early stages of rehabilitation delivers an immediate positive impact on patient morale and engagement.

(Study Authors: Research team at the Department of Neurology, Ostrava University Hospital, and VR LIFE s.r.o.)

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