Rehabilitationwhat the research examines
Short answer: The library holds 27 references on virtual reality and rehabilitation, published between 2003 and 2026. They include 14 systematic reviews or meta-analyses and 2 randomised controlled trials. The research mainly examines recovery of the upper limb and of motor function after a stroke.
The evidence in numbers
27References
14Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
2Randomised trials
2003–2026Years
Counted in the RVer study library · languages: Portuguese, English. The design of each study was classified by the team from the publication.
What the research examines
- Recovery of the upper limb and of motor function after a stroke.
- Balance, gait and fall risk, particularly in Parkinson's disease.
- Physical exercise and cognition in older people.
- Whether the programmes are acceptable and easy to use for physiotherapists and patients.
What is not yet known
- The right dose: duration, frequency and intensity of the sessions.
- Whether gains carry over to everyday activities, and whether they last.
- Differences between immersive (headset) and non-immersive (screen) virtual reality.
The references, by study design
Meta-analyses · 8
- Effects of virtual reality with different modalities on upper limb recovery: a systematic review and network meta-analysis on optimizing stroke rehabilitationZhang J · 2025 · Frontiers in Neurology, 16:1544135 · doi:10.3389/fneur.2025.1544135
- Immersive Virtual Reality in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Its Efficacy in Upper Limb RecoveryKenea CS · 2025 · Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(6):1783 · doi:10.3390/jcm14061783
- Precision intervention of virtual reality training for balance and gait in Parkinson's disease: a dose–response meta-analysisHailong Wu · 2025 · Frontiers in Neurology
- Virtual Reality Therapy for Upper Limb Motor Impairments in Patients With Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisVillarroel R · 2025 · Physiotherapy Research International, 30(2):e70040 · doi:10.1002/pri.70040
- The efficacy of virtual reality for upper limb rehabilitation in stroke patients: a systematic review and meta-analysisSoleimani M · 2024 · BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 24:135 · doi:10.1186/s12911-024-02534-y
- Immersive virtual reality for improving cognitive deficits in children with ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysisNiamh Corrigan · 2023 · Virtual Reality (Springer), 27: 3545–3564
- Benefits of Virtual Reality Balance Training for Patients With Parkinson Disease: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-Regression of a Randomized Controlled TrialJinlong Wu · 2022 · JMIR Serious Games
- The effectiveness of virtual reality for people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: a meta-analysisOksoo Kim · 2019 · BMC Psychiatry, 19(1): 219
Systematic reviews · 6
- The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Improving Balance and Gait in People with Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic ReviewSofia Fernandes · 2025 · Sensors (Basel)
- Virtual reality for stroke rehabilitationLaver KE · 2025 · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CD008349.pub5 · doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008349.pub5
- Effects of Virtual Reality in the Rehabilitation of Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic ReviewJuan Rodríguez-Mansilla · 2023
- Benefits of VR Physical Exercise on Cognition in Older Adults with and without Mild Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled TrialsKohei Sakaki · 2021 · Healthcare (MDPI), 9(7): 883
- Efeitos da realidade virtual no equilíbrio e marcha de indivíduos com doença de Parkinson: uma revisão sistemáticaGeiziane Terezinha Luz · 2021 · Revista da Universidade Vale do Rio Verde
- Rehabilitation that incorporates virtual reality is more effective than standard rehabilitation for improving walking speed, balance and mobility after stroke: a systematic reviewCorbetta D · 2015 · Journal of Physiotherapy, 61(3):117-124 · doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2015.05.017
Randomised controlled trials · 2
- Virtual Reality Rehabilitation Helps to Improve Postural Balance in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Control TrialMohamed A. Abdel Ghafar · 2025 · Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 45(4): 423–436
- Effect of Virtual Reality Therapy on Quality of Life and Self-Sufficiency in Post-Stroke PatientsMarcela Dąbrowská · 2023 · Medicina (Kaunas), 59(9): 1669
Pilot or feasibility studies · 2
- Effects of VR-Based Serious Games on Gross Motor Skills in Chinese Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Special Education: A Pilot StudyXinbo Wu · 2026 · Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 56(9): 3359–3367
- Supporting Tremor Rehabilitation Using Optical See-Through Augmented Reality TechnologyKai Wang · 2023 · Sensors (MDPI), 23(8): 3924
Qualitative or user studies · 2
- A Study on Rehabilitation Specialists' Perception of Experience with a Virtual Reality ProgramJung-Ah Lee · 2023 · Healthcare (MDPI), 11(6): 814
- Immersive virtual reality for shoulder rehabilitation: evaluation of a physical therapy program executed with Oculus Quest 2Umile Giuseppe Longo · 2023 · BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 24: 859
Narrative or scoping reviews · 3
- Physical Activity in Immersive Virtual Reality: A Scoping ReviewFrano Giakoni-Ramírez · 2023 · Healthcare (MDPI), 11(11): 1553
- The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exercises to Reduce Fall Risk in Parkinson's Disease: A Literature ReviewFaizah Abdullah Djawas · 2022
- Virtual Rehabilitation - Benefits and ChallengesGrigore Burdea · 2003 · Methods of Information in Medicine, 42(5): 519–523
Essays, editorials or conceptual papers · 1
- Realidade virtual imersiva nos Cuidados Paliativos: perspectivas para a Reabilitação TotalBreno Augusto Bormann de Souza Filho · 2022 · Cadernos Brasileiros de Terapia Ocupacional, 30: e3024
Books or chapters · 1
- Therapeutic Virtual Reality: Theory, Applications, and Impact on the People’s Health and Well-beingJoão Fernandes Thomaz · 2026 · Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Clinical studies, design not stated · 2
- From learning to enjoyment: Virtual reality walking experiences for older adults in long-term careAna Hafner · 2026 · Experimental Gerontology, 223: 113237
- Use of Virtual Reality in Children with DyslexiaGiuseppa Maresca · 2022 · Children (MDPI), 9(11): 1621
Glossary terms
Other topics
This page describes what published research on virtual reality examines in this topic. It is not a claim about RVer's performance and does not replace clinical assessment. The Class I medical device registration (EUDAMED, Basic UDI-DI 56006195127RVERTZ, and INFARMED, Portugal, CDM 94571546) covers the RVer base product.