Virtual recovery

Patients who need physiotherapy following a stroke or accident could soon be put through their paces in a virtual reality environment.

A researcher at Portsmouth University is creating a rehabilitation system that places patients on a treadmill and into a virtual world.

It works by using moving images to trick patients' brains into thinking they are walking more slowly than they are, which in turn encourages them to walk faster and further.

Early results also suggest that patients using virtual rehabilitation may experience less pain than traditional physiotherapy alone.

Wendy Powell, a PhD student in the School of Creative Technologies, developed the software for the system, which works in conjunction with a specially adapted treadmill.

Clinical trials on real patients are taking place in collaboration with experts at McGill University in Canada where early results are encouraging.

A former chiropractor, Powell hopes it will pave the way for a new and innovative approach to physiotherapy.

She said: 'The environment is stimulating and entertaining and there’s less fear of falling over. Our test subjects are usually surprised when I tell them they’ve improved by up to 20 per cent.'