Virtual Reality Used as Treatment for Disabled Injury Victims
Learning that a serious injury has left you with long-term disabilities can be devastating. Many people in this situation can no longer conduct their usual enjoyable activities or even take care of themselves. These limitations can result in depression and other mental struggles, in addition to the physical effects of the injuries.
It is common for people with disabling injuries to undergo regular sessions of physical and occupational therapy. Sometimes, even after many therapy sessions, they see little improvement in their physical abilities, which can be even more disheartening. Recently, some therapists working with disabled patients have seen improvement in the mental – and even physical – condition of patients who undergo virtual reality therapy.
How VR Therapy Works
You might think of virtual reality (VR) as something that teenagers do, or that exists only in wealthy, high-tech households. However, there are other discovered benefits of this activity. VR involves wearing special goggles that make you feel as if you are in a different situation from the one you are actually in. For example, you might use virtual reality goggles to pretend you are on top of a mountain or sailing on a lake.
Therapists working with disabled veterans at a VA hospital in St. Louis have been using VR goggles with disabled patients. Even though the therapy does not actually strengthen the patients’ muscles or directly increase their abilities, it has other benefits. Patients can feel like they are engaging in their favorite activities, even though they cannot engage in such activities in reality. This seems to lift the patients’ spirits and make them more hopeful about their futures. They can still have fun even though their physicality is limited. Some possible VR activities include:
- Martial arts and tai chi
- Traveling to different parts of the world
- Fly fishing
- Swimming or kayaking
- Boxing
Therapists found that VR therapy can also be used to help with pain management, anxiety control, and to document patient progress. Overall, this is a type of technological therapy that might become much more widespread, and it can benefit injured victims of serious accidents. This might be something that injured accident victims might want to discuss with their therapists as an option for part of their therapy.
If someone else caused your injuries or you suffered an injury on the job, your treatment costs should be covered by the liable party or workers’ compensation. This should include treatment recommended by a physical therapist to improve your mental health, as well as your physical condition.
Contact a Salina Personal Injury Lawyer for Assistance Right Away
At Neustrom & Associates, we believe that our clients should receive innovative types of treatment when needed to help their healing process, both physically and mentally. We go up against insurance companies who challenge certain medical treatments, and we fight for the full compensation our injured clients deserve. If you have suffered serious and disabling injuries in an accident, seek help from a Salina personal injury attorney you can trust. Call 785-825-1505 to contact us through our website for a free consultation today.