Using Virtual Reality NeuroTherapy (VRNT) With A Stander

Virtual Reality has impacted more than just the entertainment industry. With the growing importance of home physiotherapy, VR telehealth systems like MieronVR have grown in popularity. The ability for people with varying degrees of paralysis, mobility and stability issues, dexterity, chronic pain, and other disabling conditions to experience at home PT increases the opportunity for the type of rehabilitation or care they need, improves compliance, and even makes the entire process more fun and rewarding.

How Does VR Physiotherapy Help?

Every person who needs therapy or rehabilitation has unique needs and goals. Especially during the COVID-19 quarantine period, those with weakened immunities benefit greatly from home therapy that keeps them away from potential virus carriers. This is just one way that VRNT can help prevent secondary injury at home.

Virtual reality has become a successful part of spinal cord injury rehab at home and in clinical settings. By combining physical movements and tactile feedback with the high-tech visualization of improved function, the person using the system receives an exponentially better outcome than if they use individual exercises or techniques alone.

From a day-to-day perspective, home exercise for impaired mobility provides a more continuous and comfortable way of maintaining forward progress and maximizing improvements over time.

With the Mieron Library and a stander, you get the benefits of well-designed exercises that focus on both functional movements and activity-based training while maintaining safety and comfort. Wheelchair exercises without a stander also benefit from these augmented reality systems.

The benefits of VR physical therapy combined with a Stander include:

• increased upper and lower body strength when using a stander
• Improved manual dexterity and small motor skills
• Removal of self-imposed limitations through increased confidence
• Challenge of physical abilities on a more frequent basis
• Improved overall wellness, mental, and emotional states

The Multi-Faceted Benefits of Therapeutic Virtual Reality

The MieronVR neuro-therapy system combined with the passive exercise benefits of a stander creates a distance therapy option that is greater than the sum of its parts. Experiences in the included library guide safe and effective physical therapy while also focusing on VR mental wellness.  Many Mieron users find themselves greatly increasing the amount of time that they are able to utilize a stander and thereby reaping the benefits of improving circulation and critical weight-bearing exercises for bone health. 

For individuals that experience neuropathic pain or discomfort while utilizing a stander, VR can reduce pain perception by up to 90% – with effects lasting outside of the VR experience.  This pain-reduction effect allows the user to spend more time exerting themselves and participating in the health exercise.^[1] 

Challenge and Reward

VRNT presents challenges the user is eager to overcome. They end up working longer at a higher intensity, doing more repetitions of the challenging activities, and end up with greater rewards. Customizable programs work well for a variety of users including those with varying degrees of paralysis, TBI or stroke patients, people with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and other conditions.^[2]

Fun Equals Motivation

The inside of a standard physical therapy center does not inspire a sense of fun. With VR telehealth, the inclusion of augmented reality experiences takes people out of a medical center or their home and brings fun into the experience of getting stronger. If someone enjoys an activity, they are more likely to stick with it and progress more quickly.

Self-directed Therapy Promotes Independence

Although every experience in the library is specifically tailored from a medical and therapeutic perspective, the user still has a lot of independence when it comes to directing their progress. Maintaining the option of choice involves many emotional benefits.

MieronVR Offers User-friendly Function

The majority of users can set up, put on, and work with this adaptive VR headset and experience on their own. This is just another way to promote independence and confidence.  The Accessibility First design that distinguishes Virtual Reality NeuroTherapy from entertainment VR provides a wonderful way for all levels of mobility to participate in navigating the interface and utilizing the experiences.

Improve Mental Wellness

Any type of disability and the necessary therapy creates stress. The VR home PT system from MieronVR offers an entire suite of guided breathing and meditation exercises along with PT and OT exercises to help make the entire process as comfortable and holistically beneficial as possible.

Where can I find providers of MieronVR?

MieronVR may be offered in a clinic near you!  Contact us by emailing hello@mieronvr.com, or chatting with a representative on our website, where we can help determine if the clinical or home version is a good fit for you.

You can also book a quick demo with us by clicking here!. We can go over anything you want to know in roughly 20-30 minutes.

At MieronVR, we’re dedicated to helping you do more to achieve more.

Ryan B. C4 SCI utilizing MieronGO with a Stander

^[1] https://www.neuro.duke.edu/research/research-news/how-vr-helping-paraplegics-walk-again

^[2] https://mieronvr.com/faq/