Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) are increasingly present in the healthcare sector [1] and particularly in Physiotherapy.  These technologies bring a new vision to care and the patient-practitioner relationship. Let's look at each of them and their roles in healthcare.

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What are the differences between VR, AR, and MR?

1. Virtual Reality (VR) : VR immerses the user in a fully simulated environment using specialized headsets. It offers the ability to visualize 3D objects, allowing the user to manipulate them from all angles with accessories or hand detection. For example, VR is used to simulate surgeries or conduct cognitive behavioral therapies.
2. Augmented Reality (AR) : AR overlays virtual elements (2D, 3D, videos, and/or text) onto reality through tools such as smart glasses or a smartphone. Practitioners can visualize real-time information superimposed on the real environment, such as organs or vital data.
3. Mixed Reality (MR) : MR combines VR and AR to integrate virtual objects into the real world while allowing the user to interact with them. It is a preferred technology for complex visualizations, such as preoperative planning.

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What are the applications in healthcare?

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1. Training and Learning

Immersive technologies enable healthcare professionals to be trained using virtual interfaces. VR allows for the simulation of situations, offering opportunities for learning and training on specific cases. This means practitioners can train for their profession and learn in VR before practicing. 

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2. Rehabilitation and Pain Management

VR is used in physiotherapy, both in France and internationally [2] particularly to support patients in functional rehabilitation following trauma or operations, by offering them engaging and motivating exercises. For instance, it enables the management of patients suffering from lower back pain or anxiety disorders. VR fully integrates into the physiotherapist's practice. VR in physiotherapy allows for even more precise monitoring of patient progress through quantified assessments and exercises. The immersive and playful dimension of VR increases patient motivation and facilitates movement recovery [3].  

AR helps better manage perceived pain by diverting patients' attention to virtual elements during painful procedures. Patients thus focus their attention on a virtual environment rather than on their pain [4].

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3. Surgery and Preoperative Visualization

Surgeons use AR to superimpose 3D images, such as organs, directly onto patients, facilitating increased precision. MR goes even further by enabling interactive manipulation of these models [5].

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Towards Widespread Adoption

With the support of major technology players in the VR field, these innovations are becoming more accessible and widespread in the healthcare sector. They promise to transform the medical landscape by offering more precise care and improving patient management.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, this article demonstrates that VR, AR, and MR are ushering in a new era for healthcare, a convergence of technology and humanity. They are transforming the approach to care by making healthcare more interactive, precise, and tailored to each patient's needs. As previously demonstrated with the cited sources, their potential in rehabilitation, training, surgery, and the patient-practitioner relationship is recognized within the sector. These new tools are now part of the healthcare landscape and still hold immense development prospects.

And if you'd like to discover what the VR rehabilitation tools developed by Virtualis can do, click here: Why VR, according to Virtualis?

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[1] Current Respiratory Disease Review, Virtual Reality for pre-treatment relaxation, V. Fallet, C. Mehlman, A.Canellas, J. Cadranel - October 2022.

[2] Carnevale,A.; Mannocchi, I.; Sassi, M.S.H.; Carli, M.; De Luca, G.; Longo, U.G.; Denaro, V.; Schena, E. Virtual Reality for Shoulder Rehabilitation: Accuracy Evaluation of Oculus Quest 2. Sensors 2022, 22, 5511 ; Du, K., Benavides, L.R., Isenstein, E.L. et al. Virtualreality assessment of eaching accuracy in patients with recent cerebellarstroke. BMC Digit Health 2, 50 (2024)

[3] Carnevale,A.; Mannocchi, I.; Sassi, M.S.H.; Carli, M.; De Luca, G.; Longo, U.G.; Denaro, V.; Schena, E. Virtual Reality for Shoulder Rehabilitation: Accuracy Evaluation of Oculus Quest 2. Sensors 2022, 22, 5511 ; Du, K., Benavides, L.R., Isenstein, E.L. et al. Virtualreality assessment of eaching accuracy in patients with recent cerebellarstroke. BMC Digit Health 2, 50 (2024)

[4] Hoffman, H.G., Richards, T.L., Coda, B., Bills, A.R., Blough, D., Richards, A.L., and Sharar, S.R. (2004). Modulation of thermal pain-related brain activity with virtual reality: evidence from fMRI. Neuroreport, 15(8), 1245-1248

[5] FRM Research & Health Quarterly Magazine 160, PROFESSOR JACQUES MARESCAUX, Digestive surgeon, CEO of the Institute of Image-Guided Surgery and founding president of the Research Institute against Digestive Cancers (IRCAD), in Strasbourg.