Virtual environment rehabilitation for patients with motor neglect trial (VERMONT): A single-center randomized controlled feasibility trial

De Villiers, Elsje, Stone, Thomas, Wang, Nai Wei, Sarangi, Viswadeep, Pelah, Adar and Shenker, Nicholas (2021) Virtual environment rehabilitation for patients with motor neglect trial (VERMONT): A single-center randomized controlled feasibility trial. Brain Sciences, 11 (4). ISSN 2076-3425

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Abstract

Background: Motor neglect occurs in patients with chronic pain conditions. Virtual environments (VE) help rehabilitation through biofeedback and improving motivation. Aim: To assess the feasibility of a VE for patients with motor neglect with chronic pain. Methods: 10 subjects with chronic pain (Fibromyalgia, Sciatica, and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) underwent a treadmill task three times per week for two weeks. Groups were randomized to receive real-time biofeedback from the VE (intervention) or shown still images (control). Primary outcomes were: (i) distance walked at baseline compared to the final 5 min cycle of week 2; (ii) the Lower Extremity Functional Index (LEFI) questionnaire. A satisfaction questionnaire was used. Follow up was to 24 weeks. Results: Total distance walked was significantly higher in the intervention group (p < 0.05), and 33% (2/6) of the intervention group had a clinically important LEFI improvement compared to 0/4 in the control group at week 2. No secondary outcome measures demonstrated any significant differences. The intervention received high satisfaction scores, significantly greater than the control group at week 24. No harms were recorded. Discussion: This feasibility study showed that VE and treadmill-walking improved walking distances and function for subjects with motor neglect. This is a promising novel approach and requires further validation through larger study.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Information: External funding was received from CARE (Cambridge Arthritis Research Endeavour) and ACT (Addenbrooke?s Charitable Trust). This research was also supported by a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowship award to AP, and also by a grant to AP under Grow MedTech?s Proof of Feasibility programme, supported by UKRI Research England?s Connecting Capability Fund [project code: CCF11-7795]. Funding Information: Funding: External funding was received from CARE (Cambridge Arthritis Research Endeavour) and ACT (Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust). This research was also supported by a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellowship award to AP, and also by a grant to AP under Grow MedTech’s Proof of Feasibility programme, supported by UKRI Research England’s Connecting Capability Fund [project code: CCF11-7795]. Funding Information: Acknowledgments: This research was supported by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (BRC-1215-20014). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Uncontrolled Keywords: clinical trial,complex regional pain syndrome,motor neglect,rehabilitation,sciatica,virtual environment,neuroscience(all) ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2800
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 06 Nov 2021 01:51
Last Modified: 23 Oct 2022 03:15
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/81991
DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11040464

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