Projects & Grants




The importance of motivation for the successful outcome of rehabilitation care with the use of virtual systems with visual feedback.
Project IdSGS04/LF/2019
Main solverMgr. Petra Smolová
Period1/2019 - 12/2019
ProviderSpecifický VŠ výzkum
Statefinished
AnotationThe active use of new technologies in rehabilitation has been the rising trend either in occupational therapy or physiotherapy. In the past two decades, researchers have demonstrated the potential for virtual reality (VR) technologies for stroke rehabilitation in adults. It has been reported to have beneficial effects mostly on upper extremity function, postural control and gait (Proffitt, 2015; Kalron et al., 2016). Galvin & Levac (2011) claim that the systems of VR provide interactive simulations that engage the user in virtual environments. Patients are motivated by seeing themselves engaging in various sports and games, which may improve focus and adherence (Moffat, 2004) and thus shorten the time needed for motor skill recovery (Brütsch et al., 2014). Wulf (2009) points out the importance of external focus of attention, as main predictor that leads to variety in motor performance in contrast to internal focus to the movement itself. However, little is known about the patients attitude towards these technologies and the quality of visual feedback provided by VR systems. Therefore, the main goal of applied research is to help to create such applications that would respect the needs of a patient in bio-psycho-social context and subsequently follow a therapeutic aims. Virtual systems should be evaluated and improved with the respect to motivation and attention as the main aspects of motor learning. Without this consideration, therapy exists only within the first cognitive stage of learning and its results are functionally inefficient in daily life. The success in therapeutic process is driven by confidence resulting from adequate feedback, rewards and satisfaction with performance that promotes automaticity and thus speeds the learning process (Wulf, 2016).