One of the technologies that is already transforming our way of understanding physiotherapeutic care is virtual reality (VR), computer simulations of real environments that allow users to actively interact with a simulated environment.
This tool is particularly useful for physiotherapists because it allows them to simulate a real environment, selecting the desired criteria for functional training that takes the patient’s individual characteristics into account. This is a very important element of personalising treatments.
What’s more, virtual reality enables users to generate a multitude of stimuli, thanks to the ability to adapt the virtual environment. This makes it much easier to motivate patients during their treatments.
So, this technology provides therapy that can be adapted to the characteristics of each individual and has the capacity to incorporate basic aspects of neuroplasticity, such as repetition, intensity and training focused on specific activities.
The Degree in International Physiotherapy is delivered jointly by EUSES-UdG, the University of Health and Sport, and ENTI-UB, the University of Videogames and Serious Games. The synergy between EUSES and ENTI allows students to acquire knowledge from both branches of science: new technologies and physiotherapy, with the added bonus of learning how to develop technological tools applied to the healthcare sector and using virtual reality to create innovative treatments.
The elective module ‘Virtual and augmented reality in physiotherapy’ teaches students how to use this technology in healthcare.
