ArticleJMIR formative research2025
Advancing Digital Access to Physical Therapy via Virtual and Extended Reality Technology: Prototype Development and Usability Evaluation.
Article in JMIR formative research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The United States faces significant challenges in physical therapy (PT) access due to high demand, a shortage of professionals, and patient-related obstacles, which can adversely affect recovery and function. Limited access to PT may lead to increased dependence on medications for pain management, highlighting the need for nonpharmacologic options to reduce opioid overprescribing. Low back pain, a leading cause of disability and high medical costs, is a common reason for requiring PT following surgery. Studies have shown that virtual reality (VR)-guided movements can improve motor function and reduce pain intensity. Objective: The objective of this study was to design, develop, and evaluate a VR-based prototype for individualized postoperative PT for patients recovering from back surgery to investigate its potential to improve convenience, access, and health outcomes in future research. Methods: Study methods involved participatory design and development of VR software for PT back exercises using the design box method, an inductive, problem-oriented collaborative design approach. A usability evaluation of the resulting prototype was conducted with patients recovering from back surgery using a think-aloud protocol and usability survey. Results: Six participants evaluated the VR prototype and reported usability challenges that included mismatched VR boundaries, limited familiarity with VR, and difficulties with the headset and hand controls. The System Usability Scale resulted in a total usability score of 58.3 out of 100, indicating a below-average score (68 being average). Conclusions: In the design and evaluation of a VR-based PT prototype, we found that while participants were enthusiastic, they faced usability challenges due to insufficient instructions and difficulties operating the VR device, highlighting the need for effective onboarding and extensive prototype testing to improve accessibility and engagement in health care. Future evaluations will investigate disparities among different groups to ensure accessibility and effectiveness for all users.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.