Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Human Factors
Date Submitted: Jun 10, 2025
Date Accepted: Nov 25, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Design related opportunities and challenges when co-creating virtual reality solutions in post-stroke home rehabilitation
ABSTRACT
Background:
Stroke often leads to persistent impairments that limit daily functioning and psychosocial well-being. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising adjunct in stroke rehabilitation, though research has largely focused on clinical outcomes, with limited attention to user involvement and experiences.
Objective:
This study explores the challenges and benefits of co-designing and using virtual reality to support home-based post-stroke rehabilitation.
Methods:
Data were collected via co-design workshops and ten semi-structured interviews conducted in a rehabilitation hospital. A thematic analysis was performed on transcribed recordings.
Results:
Five main themes emerged: 1) Adaptability for stroke-related impairments in home rehabilitation, 2) Safety and ease of use, 3) Goal orientation, 4) Motivation, and 5) VR as a complementary tool. VR demonstrated potential to enhance rehabilitation by simulating real-life tasks that encourage goal-oriented and engaging therapy. However, its integration into rehabilitation requires alignment with established therapeutic principles, such as task-specific training and meaningful outcomes tailored to individual needs.
Conclusions:
This study highlights the importance of embedding clear therapeutic goals into VR applications to ensure clinical relevance and user engagement. VR should complement, rather than replace, conventional therapy by increasing training intensity, reducing therapist workload, and extending rehabilitation into the home. Thoughtful co-design with stakeholders is key to creating VR tools that bridge the gap between structured clinical care and independent recovery, offering continuous support throughout the rehabilitation process.
Citation
