BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Virtual Real.

Sec. Virtual Reality in Medicine

Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/frvir.2025.1559755

This article is part of the Research TopicEnabling the Medical Extended Reality ecosystem - Advancements in Technology, Applications and Regulatory ScienceView all 4 articles

Effect of mixed-reality therapy on finger movement function of hemiplegic stroke patients

Provisionally accepted
Shuichi SasakiShuichi Sasaki1*Naonobu TakahiraNaonobu Takahira2Chieko YodaChieko Yoda3Takayuki watabeTakayuki watabe4Risako NakanishiRisako Nakanishi5Keiichiro AokiKeiichiro Aoki6Michiteru MiyazakiMichiteru Miyazaki1Syuhei ChibaSyuhei Chiba1Sora KurosakiSora Kurosaki1Akari KobayashiAkari Kobayashi1
  • 1Department of Rehabilitation, Kitasato University Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan
  • 2School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan
  • 3Department of Rehabilitation, Makita General Hospital, Ota-ku, Tokyo, Japan
  • 4Department of Rehabilitation, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
  • 5Department of Rehabilitation, Yokohama Minami Kyosai Hospital, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
  • 6Graduate School of Health Sciences, Showa University, Kanagawa, Japan

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Background and purpose: Mixed reality (MR) rehabilitation therapy tries to overcome the limitations of virtual reality therapy by integration of real, vivid images into the existing world. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of MR therapy on finger movement function in hemiplegic stroke patients and to identify issues related to the practical use of MR system.Methods: The study included five hemiplegic stroke patients with Brunnström stage V or lower in the upper limb or fingers. In this MR-based intervention, using HoloLens® and Leap Motion®, the unaffected hand was projected as a mirrored virtual hand onto the affected side. Patients were instructed to clench their fist on the paralyzed side ten times. The distance traveled by each fingertip between the clenched and open positions was measured using a 3D motion capture system. Additionally, a questionnaire regarding the MR therapy was administered to the patients.Results: Wearing the MR system increased the distance traveled by the tip of the index finger by a mean of 1.75 cm between the first and tenth fist-clenching movements (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the fingertip movement distances of any of the other fingers. The subjects gave positive reactions to most of the questions in the questionnaire.Conclusion: MR therapy may help improve finger movement function in patients with hemiplegic stroke.

Keywords: Stroke, mixed reality (MR), Upper limb, rehabilitation-, Occupational thearpy

Received: 13 Jan 2025; Accepted: 09 May 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Sasaki, Takahira, Yoda, watabe, Nakanishi, Aoki, Miyazaki, Chiba, Kurosaki and Kobayashi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Shuichi Sasaki, Department of Rehabilitation, Kitasato University Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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