An Immersive Motor Protocol for Frailty Rehabilitation

Front Neurol. 2019 Oct 15:10:1078. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2019.01078. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Frailty is a pre-clinical condition that worsens physical health and quality of life. One of the most frequent symptoms of frailty is an increased risk of falling. In order to reduce this risk, we propose an innovative virtual reality motor rehabilitation program based on an immersive tool. All exercises will take place in the CAVE, a four-screen room with a stationary bike. The protocol will include two types of exercises for the improvement of balance: "Positive Bike" and "Avoid the Rocks." We will choose evaluation scales related to the functional aspects and subjective perception of balance. Our aim is to prove that our innovative motor rehabilitation protocol is as effective as or more effective than classical rehabilitation.

Keywords: CAVE; balance; elderly; frailty; motor rehabilitation; risk of falls; stationary bike; virtual reality.