01/2025

Virtual horizons: Enhancing rehabilitation of neuromuscular diseases through virtual reality and gamification

Abstract

Background

Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) encompass a diverse range of disorders that impair muscle function, often leading to progressive weakness and loss of independence.

Objective

This systematic review aims to synthesize research on how virtual reality (VR) and gamified rehabilitation approaches enhance patient engagement and outcomes, ultimately reshaping rehabilitation practices for individuals with NMDs.

Methods

Studies were identified from an online search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases with a search time range from 2014 to 2024. This review has been registered on Open OSF (n) RCNHE.

Results

Robotics, VR, and biofeedback, in turn, enriched by gamification, represent the improvement of motor function, motivation, and psychosocial well-being within rehabilitation concerning NMDs. Using emerging technologies seems promising to improve engagement, delay functional decline, and enhance quality of life.

Conclusions

This systematic review identified that VR and gamification provide the potential to enhance rehabilitation outcomes in patients suffering from NMDs. The future will doubtless have more subjects included and optimization of interventions to best personalize treatments, hence best practice recommendations can be made towards wider clinical implementations.

In this case, this article is linked to Nesplora and its products in two different ways:

Research that uses Nesplora Executive Functions Ice Cream as a main tool for their development:

Garmendia J, Labayru G, Aliri J, et al. Executive functions and daily functioning in myotonic dystrophy type 1 ecological assessment with virtual reality. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33: 917–922.

And this piece that is directly linked to Nesplora’s development, as it’s the normative study that serves as ground for the tool:

Fernandez MA, Rebon-Ortiz F, Saura-Carrasco M, et al. Ice cream: new virtual reality tool for the assessment of executive functions in children and adolescents: a normative study. Front Psychol 2023; 14: 1196964.

Calderone A, Latella D, De Luca R, et al. Virtual horizons: Enhancing rehabilitation of neuromuscular diseases through virtual reality and gamification. Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases. 2025;12(1). doi:10.1177/22143602241311194