Virtual reality as a vestibular rehabilitation tool for athletes after concussion: a literature review

Abstract

Virtual Reality is cogitated as one of the most favorable and challenging technologies applied in health sciences. Its use has been integrated in vestibular rehabilitation for the management of balance conditions, founded on mechanisms related to neuronal plasticity of the central nervous system. Dizziness is one of the most common symptoms after a concussion in sports and can be an issue related to a long return to play. Virtual reality may be a beneficial method for rehabilitation for athletes with dizziness after concussion. However, no studies have critically reviewed the scientific evidence in this regard. The objective was to conduct a systematic review on the effectiveness of virtual reality as a rehabilitation strategy for athletes after a concussion. A systematic review of the electronic databases Cochrane Collection, Consumer Health Complete, Oxford Journals, PubMed, Science Direct, and SPORTDiscus was conducted to identify studies related to the effect of virtual reality after a concussion in athletes. The search timeframe ranged from January 1990 to December 2019. The search resulted in the identification of 3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 7 non-RCT studies. None of the studies were specific associated with athletes with dizziness after a concussion. Specific studies are necessary to establish the application that may respond optimally to the treatment of concussions associated with balance problems.

Virtual reality-based interventions for the rehabilitation of vestibular and balance impairments post-concussion: a scoping review

“…Prior research [ 26 – 30 ] has established VR as a common assessment tool for identifying vestibular and balance impairments post-concussion, however to date, there has been no research collating or synthesising the use and effectiveness of VR as a rehabilitation modality for these impairments. Moreover, current literature has failed to identify substantial evidence regarding the use of VR in rehabilitating patients’ post-concussion for vestibular and balance impairments [ 31 , 32 ]. Therefore, the primary aim of this scoping review is to identify, synthesise, and assess the quality of studies reporting on the effectiveness of VR for the rehabilitation of vestibular and balance impairments post-concussion.…”

Construction and Application of Virtual Reality-Based Sports Rehabilitation Training Program

“…The effect of this is that if some pixels are rounded down, it is more likely that the next pixel will be rounded up, thus minimising the average quantization error. In addition, the teaching form of virtual simulation experiment can also get rid of the restrictions in time, space, and resources, so as to meet the diversified needs of experimental teaching users and can train their skills by replaying professional skiers [ 9 ]. The training system consists of three modules: a trainer replay system to review the movements of the professional skier, a time control system to watch the detailed movements of the trainer and the user, and a visualization module to compare the differences in movements between the user and the trainer [ 10 ].…”

Experiencing deep immersion in computer games is associated with autotelic engagement and leads to addiction

“…Unsurprisingly, it takes more effort to play when gamers have to pay attention to the visual and audio stimuli at the same time. Virtual reality 10 with autotelic engagement 1 is given full trust by the player from the beginning, which makes him or her want to be in this reality. As in any activity, the autotelic personality makes the distrust barrier disappear, making it effortless to play and the person's consciously forcing himself or herself to ignore signals that the reality the gamer mentally resides in is virtual.…”